Sinners and Saints
by JEBS
Summary: Visions, Madness, Killer ghosts and Dean annoys a priest. Small town America strikes again. A little slow to begin with but it picks up latter.
1. Dreaming of you

**Summary: Visions, Madness, killer ghosts and Dean annoys a priest. Small town America strikes again. Rated T just to be safe, nothing too graphic although later chapters may get a bit bumpy. The story is set not long after Nightmare in season 1. This is my first attempt to write anything so it may take a little while to get going so please bare with me, it'll all make sense in the end I hope. Reviews and advice welcomed, even if it's don't quit the day job.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognize and I'm certain no one would want to pay me for doing this. **

Chapter 1

Sam whimpered softly, pulling his small body into an even tighter ball, trying to block out the driving rain that had long since soaked him through. He was cold, wet and scared, and he wanted Dean. He wanted his brother so bad it physically hurt, he wanted him to rescue him, to take the hurt away and make him feel safe again. He should have never have come into this stupid wood, it was all Cases' fault and now the other boy was gone too, going for help when Sam had slipped down the riverbank twisting his ankle. He felt oddly detached as if the world around him wasn't quite real, "Hyperthermia" offered a part of his brain that sounded a lot older than his ten years.

The child screamed as a dark figure lurched out of the thunder lit darkness. "Whoa, whoa there kiddo!" the figure dropped to its knees as a sudden flash revealed a teenage boy in a overly large windbreaker "I've got you." Sam couldn't quite make out the boys face within the cavernous hood but the voice brought with it an instant feeling of safety, and an odd sense of disquiet that he couldn't quite place. A second smaller figure dropped next to the first. Case!

Time lurched and swam, adding to the growing sense of unreality as the three of them made there ways out of the woods. Sam draped in the older boys arms, feeling as if he was a passenger within somebody else's body. "It's O.K we're nearly their now.", a voice spoke soothingly from above, before pausing as a lone house came into view "Hey, if we're lucky maybe the old man won't be home, yet." the elder boy suddenly sounded a whole lot more cheerful.

Sam stiffened without truly knowing why at the sight of the house, his heart clenching in his chest. He was going to be in so much trouble! The fear was overwhelming and that just wasn't right. John Winchester was a stern man, more than capable of putting the fear of God into both of his boys if the situation required it, but he'd never, ever inspired this kind of all consuming fear….or hate. It was there too, dark and dangerous rising in waves only to be lost again in the myriad emotions threatening to drown the child.

A light flicked on in the house as a tall man came out on to the porch. Strong arms spasmed around him, clutching him tighter as his fear seemed to leach into the boy holding him. THIS WASN'T RIGHT! IT'S NOT REAL! Sam's own voice screamed within his mind, but it was no longer the voice of a child but a grown man. This was a dream it had to be, but something told him, some part of his mind that was still rational told him the dream wasn't his.

Sam shifted, exerting his rapidly dwindling control to stare into the unfamiliar face of the boy holding him, the boys eyes shone with fear and suppressed rage but worst of all helplessness. Whatever was going to happen, whatever the child he now inhabited feared would happen. This boy couldn't protect him and it was killing him.

Prompted by some instinct that was not his own, Sam through his arms around the boys neck whispering "It's O.K, when I grow up I'm going to save us all. I promise."

"Give me my daughter, NOW!" Sam began to scream as hands grabbed him from behind pulling him from the boys arms.

He couldn't breathe, something was holding him, chocking him. Suddenly the hands were back pulling him into sitting position, clawing as his chest, at his throat. "SAM! BREATHE!" and he could. Sucking in air in great shaky sobs, he tried to get his addled brain to work. Dean! Dean was here, Dean had saved him. Sam's body went limp, only a strong hand planted firmly in the middle of his chest stopped him falling off the bed. The bed shifted as his brother came to sit next to him, his other hand coming up to rub small circles in the center of Sam's back, as he fought to get his breathing back under control.

"Want to explain to me how you managed to half hang yourself with a bed sheet?" Dean sounded pissed but then he always did when Sam did something to scare his brother this bad.


	2. Leaving it

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: as chapter 1

"So was this a dream or a vision? Cause you know that whole Max thing was just a little bit freaky."

Sam was still on the bed, sitting up against the headboard arms draped over his knees. Dam his head hurt, spikes of pain where driving themselves through his skull as he tried to raise his head in order to answer his brothers question.

"Urrrgh", it was just too bright even with only the bathroom light on. Sam sucked in a couple of calming breaths before answering. "A bit of both I think."

"What?" queried Dean as he emerged from the bathroom holding a glass of water and a couple of white pills, which he pushed into Sams hands. "Here, these should help."

"Thanks"

"So?" Dean asked as he launched himself onto the other bed, before flipping onto his side to stare at his brother.

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It took Sam about 20 minutes to fill Dean in on what had happened, by the time he'd finished Dean was sitting on the edge of his bed, his elbows resting on his knees.

"So is this happening now? If it is we might be able to do something for this kid, or you just playing peeping Tom in some poor guys dreams, cause that's just plain dirty man."

"Dean, for Gods sake, it's not like I had a choice in the matter", Sam glowered at his brother before dropping his head into his hands practically whispering the second part of the sentence "and it wasn't a guy."

"Oh man, you were a girl weren't you?" Deans face lit up with glee, irritating the hell out of Sam even if he new this was just the backwash from the adrenalin high Dean had been running on ever since he'd woken up to Sam trying to chock himself to death with a bed sheet, that and relief that for once it wasn't anything worse "I bet you had pig tails and everything."

Sam just continued to glower.

"O.K, so it was a dream", Dean was clearly fighting for control, even going as far as trying to scrub the smirk off his face with one callused hand.

"More like a memory, but yeah." Sam replied letting his brother behaviour drop for now. It was Dean after all, it's not like he could expect any better.

"Good.", Dean pushed himself to his feet and headed towards the bathroom "Up and at'em Sammy, we've got a job to do."

"What you're just going to leave this?" Sam's jaw had literally dropped.

"Yes, Sam **we** are. We have no clue how to find this girl and even if we did, **it's in the past**. We can't save her!" Dean's irritation was rising fast as was his level of concern, something was eating Sam big time. He had to put a stop to this now. "Whatever's going on in those woods on the other hand we can."

"It's just that……." Sam suddenly looked so young and broken, his head once more buried in his hands. Then he looked up pinning his brother with frightened eyes. "Dean, what if she's a psychic like me and Max, what if she's going to turn into a killer too."

"Sam, I don't know what's going on with that freaky head of yours but you're not a killer." He was leaning on the door jam now, staring at his brother with open concern. "As for Max, he was a messed up kid. I hate to say this Sam, but kids get abused all the time", his face grim, he didn't like this any more than Sam did "and they don't all turn into psychopaths."

"But Dean, they weren't psychic." Sam was getting desperate. "I have these visions for a reason and it's always bad." The memory of the Childs hate filled thoughts stuck in his mind to the exclusion of all else.

"And we don't even know this kid is psychic. Ever think this could just be your equivalent of sleepwalking, you could have just picked up on the local school marm having a bad dream for all we know. "

"Thanks, that makes me feel a whole lot better." Sam's voice dripped with sarcasm, but somehow it did, at least a little. Everyone got mad right? It didn't mean anything.

Dean just nodded, understanding.

"Come on I'll buy you breakfast on the way to the park." Dean grabbed Sam's jeans off the back of the chair and chucked them at his brother. "You can shower when we get back."

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**Thank you to anyone who reviewed my first chapter. For anyone who hasn't already guessed, this is the first time I've done this and I'm still figuring it out. So any advice will be gratefully received.**


	3. Tourists

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: as chapter 1.

Half an hour later, Dean pulled the Impala into the car park of one of the local beauty spots, where tourists were already snapping pictures of family and friends with the tree cover mountains as a back drop. Sam climbed out and drawing in a lungful of crisp Colorado air, the scent of pine was everywhere. It was only the beginning of Autumn, but at this altitude it was already chilly, the light strained and watery.

"Yeah, whatever." Sam barely caught his brother mutterings, as he turned to see Dean being dragged off by a family of Japanese tourists complete with Grandma and babies. The father gesturing enthusiast at the shiny new camera now in Deans hands.

By the time Dean had disentangled himself from the bowing and handshaking crowd, Sam once more had his head buried in his arms, this time trying to smother his laughter against the Impalas black roof. The fixed smile plastered across his brothers face when the family insisted on having there picture taken with there new American friend, had nearly killed him.

"Laugh it up Francis." Sam looked up to see his brother opening the drivers' side door, an annoyed look on his face. Sam ducked into the car before he could register the amusement hiding in his brothers' eyes. _Dam it was good to hear the kid laugh again, even if he once again had to be the butt of the joke. _There'd been too little to laugh about in there lives of late.

Sams soft laughter turned into howls as he spotted the smear of granny lipstick across the side of his brothers face. Dean for his part didn't even bother to speak as he slammed the Impala into reverse smacking Sam off the dashboard. He had to draw a line somewhere.

They didn't speak for a while after that, Sam nursing his bruised elbow and Dean scrubbing at the offending lipstick with the corner of his sleeve.

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"O.K, give me the lowdown." Dean didn't take his eyes off the road as he spoke, so he missed his brother rolling his eyes as he began to dig through his notes from the previous night.

There Dad had sent them the coordinates for the woods just outside Pattersons Ridge, Colorado two days ago with his usual lack of explanation. They didn't have much to go on.

"Nothing really, it's a quite town. Few more deaths than normal, but it's a hunting town. Fourteen reported within the same 20 mile stretch of woods over the last 5 years, mostly tourists up to do some hunting or hiking but a few were local. All young men 18-25 years old but other than that nothing really to link them, again not unusual in a town whose main industry is outdoor sports. Different causes of death." Sam continued to shuffle through the stack of papers. "This one is interesting. About 6 months ago, twin brothers Andy and Mark Ritter, local boys go hunting in the woods two days latter hunters find Marks body up below the ridge line, they think he was mauled by a bear. Andy wanders out of the wood three days after that, physically he's fine just a little banged. Mentally…..Dam Dean this guys barely hanging in there, he's been admitted to a state psychiatric facility about 70 miles away outside of Clearwater." Sam shot his brother a sideways glance, frowning.

"Sam the guy'd just seem his twin brother eaten by a bear, he's bound to be a little messed up."

"You don't get it Dean, this guy is barely functional, he won't let anyone touch him." Sam paused "Look, this report says he's only said one thing since the incident "Please, I'll be good." It's all he'll say over and over again."

"O.K so maybe something else is going on."

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**tell me what you think please.**


	4. The Sheriff

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: as chapter 1.

"O.K so maybe something else is going on." Dean let out a slow breath "We'll hit the library and the sheriffs office, see what we can dig up on the Ritter family."

Dean brought the Impala to a stop in front of the quaint white washed library/town hall/whatever, glowering at the scene in front of him. "God I hate this place."

Sam laughed, looking down the street. The town was tiny, it'd probably take all of 5 minutes to walk from one end to the other. Old worldy in a way that could only come about with modern planning, it was a tourist town pure and simple. No wonder Dean hated it.

"I'll hit the library and catch up with you for lunch at the diner." Climbing out, Sam paused for a second before leaning in the cars open window, waiting to catch his brothers eye "Dude, don't do anything stupid O.K."

"What?" Sam shifted uncomfortably under his brothers suddenly intense gaze "Your spidey sense tingling or something Sammy?"

Sam opened and closed his mouth a couple of times unable to answer his brothers question. Deans face softened, letting the kid off the hook.

"Or you just worried I'm going to get us run out of town again, for hitting on the mayor daughter."

Sam laughed, it sounded sharp and false to his own ears. "Yeah, man. That must be it"

"What can I say she was Hot." Dean gave his brother his best shit eating grin, but couldn't hide the concern behind his eyes.

Sam broke the moment, leaning back and slapping the cars roof. "You better go, Dude. I'll catch you latter."

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Dean pulled away, he was worried. He just didn't know what was going on with Sam any more. Hell the kid hadn't even reacted to his dreaded pet name, things must be bad.

The sheriffs office fit in perfectly with the rest of the well manicured town, complete with brass bell above the door, which rang wildly when Dean pushed through the door, fake press credentials clutched in his hand. The man at the desk looked up a neutral expression on his face.

"Sheriff……." The hunter ducked his head to see the mans' badge, sticking his hand out in a friendly if overly earnest manner. " ..Bright. I'm James Olsen from the Denver weekly, my partner and I are up doing a piece on small town mysteries, just a local colour piece really, you know the kind of thing. Maybe even drum you up some more business for you. Everybody loves a good mystery after all." Deans smile became fixed as the man failed to respond.

"Is there something specific I can help you with son?" The sheriffs face remained impassive but the young man felt as if he was being weighed up against some unknown set of criteria and found wanting. Dam, he hated it when people called him son.

"Arrr… Yes" Dean cleared his throat "The Ritter case" The sheriffs head shot up a look of panic flashed across his face, before a mask of calm disinterest snapped into place. "about six months ago." His voice trailed off.

The sheriff visible relaxed. "That old chestnut." The man snorted. "Take my advice **son**, go look for your **colour** somewhere else. Old man Ritter was 3 parts crazy and his sons ain't no better. This is a quite town." Dean didn't miss the warning edge in the mans voice or the dismissal his words implied.

"Yes, sir." Dean smiled "Thanks for the advise, I'll just be going now."

"You see that you do that son." The man seemed to have already gone back to his work, but Dean could still feel his eyes burn into his back as he exited the station. _Yes, defiantly something going on._

He glanced at his watch as he climbed into the car, it was nearly lunch time. He'd hit the diner early and see if he could pick up any local gossip.

**I'm away for a few days but will be back if anyone's interested. Things will start to make sense soon, or at least I hope they will and the chapters will get longer.**


	5. Sinner

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: as chapter 1

Sam entered the small diner just in time the reach over to pour his brother a refill of coffee, making sure to give him a good long look down her top as she did so. The younger Winchester didn't miss the obvious air of disapproval emanating from the diners other occupants. _God, it was New Haven all over again_. He turned back to his brother as the waitress let out a tittering giggle, as Deans hand brushed against her hip. Sam rolled his eyes heaven wards. _Oh God, just kill me now._

He slipped into the booth opposite his brother when the elder gestured him over. "Sam, meet Sandy" he smiled at the young waitress "She was just filling me in on some of the local history."

"HI Sam." The girl was practically bouncing, her eyes never leaving Dean. "I'll get your order, honey." Her hand brushed the elder Winchesters arm as she moved to leave.

"Dude, what?" Dean grinned at his brother. "Oh yeh, I ordered for you."

_Great, burger and fries it is. _Sam sighed to himself.

"So what did you find out?"

Sam pulled out a handful of photocopied newspaper articles and other pieces of paper from his bag. "We didn't go back far enough. About five and a half years ago there was an incident at Dads coordinates, a young woman called Emily Hillard, the local ministers daughter, was brutally raped and murdered. And get this" Sam thrust the article across the table to his brother. "the main suspect was one Ray Ritter jr., elder brother to the twins."

"So a vengeful spirit then, possibly targeting the family. They ever get the guy."

"No, he went A.W.O.L from a military base about the same time as the murder, no ones seen or heard from him since."

"They sure it was him."

"Yeah, it's pretty cut and dry. They were able to establish that he had sex with the victim just before she died and it seems the entire Ritter family has something of a bad reputation around town."

"How so?"

Dean smiled at the waitress, as she slipped a burger and fries in front of him before dumping a bowl of surprisingly fresh looking chicken Ceaser salad in front of Sam. _Not bad, maybe Dean was actually listening for once._

"Typical white trash family, seems Old Man Ritter was a P.O.W in Vietnam and never quite got over it. He spent time in a state psychiatric institute before moving up here to get as far away from the rest of the world as possible. He married a local girl, who sounds just as damaged as he is."

"So I'm guessing he wasn't too impressed when this place became a tourist attraction then."

Sam gave his brother a grim smile. "That's putting it mildly, he moved his family back out into the woods, apparently he's been known to take pot shots at anyone he see as trespassing in his area of the forest. Fortunately he always been too drunk to actually hit anyone. He has any number of charges for being drunk and disorderly, and a few for beating up his wife and kids although they all refused to testify against him. All five of the sons have been in trouble with the law at one point although nothing to serious. Best of all, it says here Reverand Hillard put in a complaint about Ray jr. harassing his daughter a couple of three weeks before she died."

Dean nodded at the new information, as pushed his empty plate across the table a content smile gracing his place.

"Man why you're not the size of a blimp, I'll never know."

"Good genes." Dean shrugged.

"You get anything?"

"Not much. Something's going on with the Ritter family, the Sheriff was definitely wigged, but he wasn't talking. Sandy told me a couple of local ghost stories, that might fit, but they were a little light on details. Still they don't suggest anything bigger is going on." The overly perky waitresses head popped up at the sound of her name and she smiled at Dean, garnering him a down right hostile look from an older man sitting at the end of the counter.

"So we do a salt and burn, before the rest of the family die and we're out of here by morning." Deans eyes had never left the waitress as he spoke. He still seemed oblivious to the diners icy atmosphere. "We got a location for the grave."

"No, but the Minister shouldn't be too hard to find in a town this small." Sam got up, throwing a wadded up napkin at his brothers head. "Say your goodbyes. I'll meet you at the car."

Dean just smirked.

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The elder Winchester exited the diner a few minutes latter, a telephone number clearly visible on the back of his hand, to find his brother sitting on the bonnet of his car a serious expression on his face.

"Just tell me you haven't scratched the car."

"I think this is for you." Sam gave him a hard look and held out a piece of paper about the size of a business card. "It was under the wiper blade when I came out."

Dean took it, curious. There written in immaculate copper plate was a single word. SINNER

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"It's nothing Sam. Probably just some local, who can't deal with the competition." They'd been arguing about the note for a good few minutes now and they still weren't getting anywhere.

"Dean." The name came out sharper than intended, but Dean was getting on every single one of his already frayed nerves. First his dream, then the note, the elder hunter seemed to be determined to ignore anything that wasn't directly on his path. God, could he really be that stupid.

"Look Sammy, don't go borrowing trouble, we've got enough of our own. If it turns out to be something we'll deal with it."

"It's Sam **Dean**, not Sammy or Kiddo or anything else you want to call me." Dean shot his brother a surprised look, Sam wasn't usually one to loose his temper like this and there had been real venom behind the statement.

Sam reached up a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, he was being irrational and he new it. Nothing had really happened, at least not enough to warrant this. Maybe when this hunt was over he'd talk Dean into taking some time off, they could probably both do with a few of days on a beach with nothing better to do than drink beer and chase girls. Sam smiled to himself, O.K so Dean would probably be doing all the chasing, but watching his brother twist himself into knots over which bikini clad beauty to chase first was always fun.

"Look man lets just get this over with and get back to the motel. I didn't get much sleep last night."

Dean only grunted at his brother veiled apology, but Sam new he'd forgiven him. He always did.

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It didn't take them long to find the Ministers house, it was set off by its self near at the edge of town, but then as Dean had pointed out this town was all edge. A small white washed church sat nearby.

Sam glanced over at the house as he moved to get out of the car and froze, a small gasp escaping his lips.

"What?" Dean turned back to his brother.

"That's the house……the one from my dream." Sams voice trailed off, his eyes never leaving the house.

"Oh" Sam didn't need to see his brothers face to read the concern in his eyes. They did he always have to be the one who put that look there? Not for the first time he wished he could just be normal.

They sat in silence for a while both caught up in their own thoughts.

"Sam" Dean waited for Sam to turn and meet his eyes. "Do you think it was the ghost you where picking up on last night?"

Sam looked over at his brother knowing he was now talking to the professional hunter, not the concerned big brother, and to be honest right now he preferred it. Still he considered his answer for a moment. "I guess so. It would fit." He didn't sound entirely convinced.

Dean let out an explosive breath. "So Daddy dearest isn't exactly a model citizen then."

Neither of them were exactly religious, but they had grown up around men of faith like Pastor Murphy so they both had a great deal of respect for the profession and all that it stood for. The idea that a man of God could instill that kind of fear in a child didn't sit well with either of them.

"Do you think this could make him a target too?" He didn't sound entirely upset at the idea.

"We can hope. " Dean was already climbing from the car. "Let's get this over with. I want to spend as little time here as possible."

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Dean had just raised his hand to knock on the door, when it flew open and he got a face full of angry blond. "Sorry" the young woman muttered as she pushed past them. Amused, his eyes followed her down the path as she continued her annoyed rant under her breath.

Dean turned back only to come face to face with the man from Sams dream. Pushing past his dumbstruck brother, he stuck out his hand to the dour looking man. "Reverend Hillard? My names James Olsen, from the Denver Weekly and this is my partner Sam Whatkins. I was wondering if we could have a word with you."

They were shown through to an austere looking living room, with uncomfortable looking furniture and not a single picture. As the Reverend went about the rules of hospitality without a single touch of warmth or true interesting in whether or not his guest were really comfortable. Indeed Sam had to figure the only reason he had let them in at all was the fact that Dean had positioned himself in such a way that the Reverend couldn't slam the door in their faces without first pushing him out of the way.

"How can I help you gentlemen?" asked the Reverend handing them each a cup of weak looking tea, poured a silver tea pot.

Sam watched as his brother launched into his eager young reporter routine explaining how they where campaigning to get cold cases such as his daughters, where the main suspect had never been apprehended reopened in the hope of catching the perpetrators. Still feeling distracted and a little off Sam let his mind wander, he couldn't help but compare the pristine china to Pastor Murphy chipped mugs, which could either be filled with scalding black coffee or strong Whiskey depending on need and where generally drunk around the scared oak kitchen table. It seemed to the boys growing up that Father Jims house was permanently filled with an endless stream of parishioners, either looking for advice or just pottering about under the pretense of Church business, but Father Jim was a compassionate man who worried about every single member of his flock as if they were his own child, whereas it didn't sound as if Reverend Hillard even worried about his own kids that way.

Sam tuned back into the conversation going on around him as the Reverend began to speak. "God understands the reasons behind Emilys death. I'm sure wherever he is the Ritter boy has already met with his just reward. Gods justice, after all is much more swift and terrible than mans. I'm afraid you're wasting your time."

"I admire your faith sir, but surely it would give you piece of mind to know for certain. Anything you could tell us would be useful." Dean wasn't quite ready to give up yet.

"My faith in my Lord is absolute, I need no other assurances."

The man placed his cup back onto its saucer, clearly indicating that the conversation was over. The two brothers glanced at each other, before following suite.

On the way out, Sam turned back to ask one final question. "Just out of interest where did you bury Emily?"

Surprise flashed briefly in the mans eyes but he did answer. "She's buried with her mother upon the ridge line near Cutters bluff. She loved it up there." It was the first real emotion they had seen from the man but Sam had the odd impression that the regret and loss in his voice was for his wife, not his daughter.

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Minutes after pulling away from the Reverands house Dean pulled violently into a side road, bringing the Impala to a juddering halt. "Sonofabitch!" He slammed his fists off the steering wheel. "Did hear that cold hearted bastard? He turned his own daughters brutal murder into a sermon on the power of faith. Do you think he could of cared less about finding his daughters killer?"

Sam was about to agree with his brother when something occurred to him. "Dean do you think he doesn't care about finding him because he knows **justice** has already been done?"

The elder Winchesters face pale slightly as he considered the implications of his brothers words.

"Sam please don't tell me we're going to have to find his body too."

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**Things start coming together and hotting up in the next chapter, Deans not going to be happy about it though. Reviews?**


	6. Grave Danger

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: as chapter 1.

Cutters bluff was less than a thirty minute trek up an old forestry road at the edge of town too steep for anything without four wheel drive, so they'd left the car back at the motel and just walked in. Hopping a couple fences with signs like Authorized access only and Danger ahead on in the process.

Once they got there it didn't take them long to find the grave marker. The Reverend had been right about the view, you could see clear across to the next valley.

"Doing the salt and burn now is probably going to be less obvious than doing it at night." Dean shifted his gaze way from the view and back to his brother when Sam spoke. He new his brother wanted this over with and what with these hormonal mood swings Sam was insisting on having, so did he. If he was honest with himself this whole dam gig was rubbing him up the wrong way.

"Yeah you're probably right, a fire would be seen for miles up here at night. Let's just hope the corpse doesn't smoke much." Dean grabbed one of the fold away shovel and chucked it at his brother. "You're digging, I'll keep watch."

Sam opened his mouth to protest but his brother cut him off. "Age before beauty, and since I've got both in this family you're really stuffed." Dean grinned "Sides I dug up the last one."

Sam just groaned and began to dig.

It was a good 20 minutes before his brother spoke again.

"Sam, what do you think of this place?"

"What?" Sam looked up from his work at little surprised at the question.

"I mean it's the perfect place to take a girl, chicks dig stars and I bet they're spectacular up here, or to have a party when you're a kid. You just need to go down into the bluff and a fire would never be seen from town."

Sam was leaning on his spade now, staring at his brother, curious.

"It's too clean Sam. No ones carved there initials on a tree, there's no fire pit in the bluff. No rubbish anywhere! The whole dam towns the same, not a hair out of place. I'm telling you man, this place is fucking Stepford." Dean hated small town America at the best of times, but he was really beginning to hate this place.

"Yeah man I know what you mean" Sam smiled at his brother, maybe he wasn't the only one with a spidey sense to tingle. "Did you read the inscription on this thing?" He asked gesturing to the headstone.

"Dutifully daughter, yeah I read it. Guess he couldn't think of anything better." Dean snorted as he absently mindedly began to pull at the flowers in front of the mothers gravestone. "Hey Sam look at this."

Sam pulled himself up out of the grave and came to crouch next to his brother who was staring at the inscription on Jennifer Hillards gravestone. 'Beloved wife of Richard Hillard and loving mother to Emily' Sams face scrunched up as he stared at the gravestone. "There was another name here, it's been chipped out."

"Curious and Curiouser." Commented Dean, he'd never admit it but he loved Alice in wonderland growing up it always seemed to sum up there lives so well. Pulling himself to his feet and glanced at the rapidly graying sky and frowned, it was still too early for it to be going dark. The wind was picking up too, coming in low moans through the trees.

He was just turning to Sam to tell him to hurry it up when he heard it, barely detectable against the sound of the wind but getting louder. "Ssssssiinneeer" a low drawn out hiss. "Sam, we've got incoming!" he yelled grabbing for a rock salt filled shotgun and scanning the area.

When it came it came so fast he barely had time to aim, it screeched from the woods looking and sounding more like a banshee than any ghost he had ever seem. The rock salt hit it full in the face making it flicker out momentarily, but not stopping it. It didn't really slow it down. "Shit!" yelled Dean casting a sideways glance at his brother who was already grabbing for another shotgun.

"Sam, finish the job." Dean yelled even as he emptied another barrel of barely affective rock salt into the creature and began to draw the creature away.

Dean needent have worried the creature seemed to have no interest in Sam, it didn't even spare him a glance as it screeched off after the elder hunter, its cries now clearly intelligible. "Sinner!" it shrieked over and over again.

"Fuck!" Sam yelled as he through himself back into the grave, flinging out the last of the dirt. What the hell kind of ghost was that? The rock salt hadn't even phased it. Dean was right the only way to get rid of it quick was to burn its corpse fast. Casting a quick glance at the woods as another shotgun blast rang out, he just hoped he would be in time.

His shovel hit wood and he forced the lid open, freezing in shock at what he saw inside.

The coffin was empty.

Swearing profusely, he flung himself out of the grave and grabbed for the weapons bag, before taking off in the direction of the last shotgun blast as fast as his long legs would carry him.

His heart began to beat faster as a frantic volley of shots rang out to his left. Sam continued to run towards the noise terrified by the utter silence that followed the shots.

Praying for some sign his brother was O.K, he felt sick when he got it. Deans terrified screams ripped through the air. The sound nearly brought Sam to his knees, he had never heard his brother scream like that before, not out of pain, not out of anger and certainly not out of fear.

He burst into a clearing to see his brother sprawled in the mud at the base of a tree, the apparition floating over him partially obscuring him from view, as he continued to scream. Grabbing some holy water and their fathers journal he put into action his hastily devised plan. Advancing slowly into the clearing he began to chant sprinkling holy water in front of himself as he did so. At first nothing happen and Sam began to despair but then the creatures hissing cries turned to all-out screams as it reared back so Sam could get his first clear view of his brother. The creature had its fingers buried knuckle deep in Deans skull, his brothers eyes where wide and staring, his mouth distorted by his now silent screams. Biting down on the need to rush to his brothers side Sam continued to chant now throwing holy water directly on to the creature causing it to increase its howling, before at last just as the chant came to an end it retreated vanishing into the woods. Deans body dropped bonelessly back into the mud.

Sam was at his brothers side in instantly, taking in the wide vacant eyes and the inhuman pallor, tinged blue where the ghost had been touching him. He reached out a gentle hand to brush across the side of his brothers face, but wasn't prepared for the reaction he got when he did finally touch him. Deans jerked away from him, pulling himself into a tight ball, hands held protectively over his head. "Oh man. What did she do to you?" the only reply he got was a soft whimper, now he really did feel sick. Stealing himself he grabbed Dean by the shoulders and pulled into a sitting position.

"Dean we haven't got time for this man. We have to get out of here, the ritual I used its only temporary." Truth was he was surprised it worked at all. Dean whimpered slightly at the idea the ghost could come back and Sam could feel him trembling under his hands, but he didn't uncurl. Biting his lip the younger Winchester took a different tack. "If we don't move and she attacks again and it could be me next time, do you want that Dean?" it was a low blow and he new it, but it had the desired affect. Dean slowly uncurled as his instincts as a big brother overrode his fear for himself. Sam smiled reassuringly at his brother as Dean blinked owlishly at him, he could tell his brother was still really freaked but he was fighting to stay in control. "That's it man, lets get out of here." He reached down and pulled Dean to his feet in on fluid movement, only to have him fall back to the ground with a yelp. Sam squatted down next to his brother and began to check out Deans left ankle, even through his boot he could tell it was already swollen. No wonder he had ended up backed up against a tree, there was no way he could have run on this.

"Sorry buddy but there's no other way, we need to get out of here fast." Giving the elder boy an apologetic smile, he pulled him into a firemans lift. Dean didn't say anything and that's what scared Sam the most, his brother usually had to be more than half way dead before he would even consider letting any one carry him least of all his baby brother, even then he would be complaining. This new quite Dean just wasn't right, his brother didn't do quite, he bitched, he complained, he told bad jokes and made light of his injuries but he was never silent.

Sam snagged the weapons bag and began the trek back to the forestry road, this was not going to be fun. Dean may be a good few inches shorter than himself but he was solid muscle and no light weight. "Dude when you get better" _Dean please get over this._ "you are so hearing about this." He didn't get a reply, although he new Dean was still conscious.

Sam picked up the pace as best he could. There was no doubt in his mind Dean had been the ghosts target its cries of sinner and the note at the diner where just too much of a coincidence. It also meant they had more to worry about than just an angry ghost. "Dam it bro, you really know how to piss people off."

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**Let me know what you think, cause I'm thinking of just giving up as nobody seems to be all that interested. Although I do have some good ideas for the next chapter, well at least I think they are. Oh, well.**


	7. Martys' Doctor

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: as chapter 1.

**Thanks too DeeUnatural and Steamfan, really nice of you guys. So here's the next chapter as requested.**

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Sams legs were trembling by the time they made it back to the road, he was actually grateful that it had started to rain at least it was cooling him down. Now all he had to do was figure out how to get them down the short but steep slope separating them from the forestry track without landing them both in hospital and it should be an easy downhill trek back into town. He sighed and shifted his grip on his brother so he could get a hand free, this wasn't going to be easy, but then what in their lives ever was. Dean was still silent although he wasn't sure if that was because he was still in shock or just pissed off and embarrassed about being carried, he kind of hoped the later an embarrassed Dean maybe a pain in the ass but a scared Dean, well Sam didn't even want to think about it.

He made it about half way down before things really went wrong, the ground was soft and slick from the rain and when he started to slip he couldn't stop himself not with Deans extra weight to contend with.

They hit the road in a shower of twigs and leaves, to the sound of screeching brakes. "Oh my God, are you guys alright? What happened?" Sam hadn't got around to processing the fall yet, never mind the fact that the screeching sound he'd just heard should be associated with the green forestry vehicle now parked a couple of feet away from his head, so he didn't answer straight away.

"Wha?" Sam asked stupidly, already looking around for Dean. He quickly spotted his brother sitting in the middle of a large boggy looking puddle with a look on his face that just screamed 'Dude could you have picked me a better landing spot or what'.

Getting shakily to his feet he moved towards Dean to help him out of his puddle, when the world tilted sideways and he would have fallen except for the hand suddenly attached to his elbow. "Easy there buddy, you took quite a spill there." Sam looked up into the face of a young man about his own age who was staring earnestly at him from under the wide brim of a Ranger hat. "Why don't you just lean up against the truck here for a sec while I help your mate out. O.K?" He wanted to protest that he didn't want anyone else touching his brother right now, not after what he'd just been through but he couldn't so he just nodded, glancing at Dean. "He twisted his left ankle a couple of miles back, so be careful."

"Sure thing." He reached down and carefully helped Dean up. Sam took the opportunity to look around for their missing equipment bag, he couldn't spot it at first but then he saw a fragment of blue material sticking out of a pile of mud and twigs. Good he doubted the Ranger would stop it there and for now they where better off without it, at least their Dads journal was safely tucked inside of his jacket. Looking back to his brother he noticed the older boy paled slightly at the Rangers touch but didn't give any other outward indication of what he was thinking. He was holding it together then even if he still wasn't speaking.

"Sorry about startling you Ranger, we got lost and were just trying to get back to the track." Lied Sam.

"Oh it's alright, things are always jumping out in front of the truck here." The man smiled easily at Sam. "Of course it's usually deer." He paused for a second. "You do know this is a restricted area though don't you?"

"No we didn't." Sam did his best to look surprised.

"No of course not." Snorted the Ranger, but then he smiled and gave them a knowing look. "You two are the reporters looking into the Ritter case, if I'm not mistaken. You've been up at the bluff looking at the crime scene."

This time the look Sam gave the Ranger was of genuine surprise.

The Ranger just shrugged and said by way of explanation. "It's a small town."

Sam just nodded.

"I'll give you two a lift to the clinic so you can get checked out."

"No honestly, it's alright if you could just drop us back at our motel, it would be a great help. We don't want to be any bother."

"No bother" The Rangers constant cheerfulness was beginning to get annoying and Sam could feel his brother shivering next to him, he was soaked through. "Come on, you let me take you to the clinic and I'll forget you're trespassing. How about that?" The Ranger was still smiling and Sam hadn't yet figured out what his game was in insisting they go to the clinic, but it if it kept them out of jail he was willing to play along……. for now. Nodding his ascent, he helped Dean into the back of the jeep before climbing in after him. Happy, as he had mentally dubbed him hand Sam a thin thermal blanket which he wrapped tightly around Dean, leaving one arm draped over his brothers shoulders as he tried to will some warmth into the shivering form.

Deputy Ranger 'Marty' turned out to be a bit of a talker and they pretty much had his whole life story within the first couple of minutes. "You're lucky, Pattersons Ridge has one of the regional trauma center, with all the hunting accidents we got up here we kind of need it. They'll get your friend fixed up in no time." The man half turned in his seat to grin happily at Sam. "They've got a new Doc there who's really nice, real hot shot too." Sam smiled back he was pretty sure that the new "Doc" had a lot to do with the young Ranger being so helpful, mystery solved, but if it was going to stop the man looking to closely at what they were doing, he sure as hell wasn't going to complain.

It only took them about 10 minutes to bump their way to the tiny hospital just outside of town. Once there, the Ranger helpfully hopped out to grab a wheelchair, giving the brothers a moment alone. Sam slipped a finger under Deans chin, forcing his brother to look at him. He was still pale but the blue ting was gone from his skin and he had stopped shaking. "Dean you need to hold it together just a little while longer. We can't give them any reasons to want to admit you." Dean swallowed a couple of times and nodded, putting on his best game face, which under the circumstances looked a little fragile but it would have to do, Marty was back.

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Marty showed them through too a small sterile looking examining room, brushing off the amused assistance of the nursing staff, a couple of who cast them knowing looks. Once they where in position, he head off in search of Doctor Warren.

It only took him a couple of minutes to return with the aforementioned Doctor, Sam could hear them well before he could see them. "It was very nice of you to bring them in Marty, I'm sure they both really appreciate it." Sam could see Marty preening at the young Doctors praise. "You did the right thing bringing them here."

They entered the room and Sam got his first good look at Doctor Warren. She wasn't spectacular looking but she had the kind of flawless skin and toned figure, that couldn't help but get you thinking about what she would look in a bikini. He looked over at his brother to see if he had noticed and was pleased to see he had perked up a little. _So you're not dead then._ He thought giving his brother a slightly smirking smile and got a small shrug in return.

Turning back to Marty and the Doc, he felt the smile spread, to Sam Marty seemed to be acting like an overly excited puppy begging for praise from its beloved master, sweet but annoying. Glancing at the Doc, he was a little surprised when the Doctor seemed to have picked up on his though and was rolling her eyes at him over Martys head, a smile that spoke of amused tolerance playing across her lips.

"Thank you very much Marty. Why don't you head back to work, I'm sure I can take it from here." Martys face dropped in an almost comical fashion and the woman relented slightly. "You know what, would be a better idea. Why don't you go wait in reception. I'm sure these gentlemen will appreciated a lift home once I'm done with them. I'll have Vicky bring you a nice cup of coffee, just how you like it." Happy again Marty headed off and the Doctor turned back too the two brothers.

"So what can I do for you boys?"

Once more introducing them as James Olsen and Sam Whatley, Sam launched into his well rehearsed explanation of how he and his brother had got into this state. The Doctor just listened, her eyes flicking occasionally between them but he got the distinct impression that somehow he was telling the good Doctor far more than he ever meant too. She certainly raised an amused eyebrow at Deans alias and turned to give him a slightly thoughtful look.

"Well **Mr. Olsen**, lets have a look at you shall we?" Sam didn't miss the slight stress on his brothers supposed name, or the knowing look hiding in the womans eyes. She was definitely going to trouble decided Sam, as she moved towards his brother.

Sam stepped back to let the woman do her work, but positioned himself in such a way that he could watch her every move, he wasn't taking any chances. He didn't have to worry though the Doctor seemed to project an aura of nonjudgmental reassurance in her approach to Dean that calmed his still twitchy brother and allowed the examination to proceed without incident.

Looking at her now, it suddenly occurred to him where he had seen this woman before. "I think we met before, Dr. Warren, outside of Reverend Hillards house?" Sam phrased the last part as a question but there was no doubt in his mind this was the same woman and a slight nod from his brother confirmed it. The young Doctor looked up briefly from gently manipulating Deans ankle, and shot him a apologetic smile. "Yes, sorry about that. The good Reverend and I don't have the most cordial of relationships." Sam couldn't quite place the faint undertone to the statement, which worried him slightly. Again the Doctor seemed to pick up on his thoughts and snorted. "You have met him haven't you?" Sam smiled and relaxed, he imagined that the Reverend was more that capable of rubbing most people up the wrong way.

Finishing up she smiled briefly at Dean. "It looks like it's just a bad sprain. All the tendons seem to be intact and since there's no evidence of any blunt force trauma, I feel confident enough to do without an X-ray." Dean relaxed a little more at the news, and Dr. Warren gave him a warm smile. "Yes I'd imagine all you want to do right now is get home and take a shower."

Sam had to laugh at his brothers offended expression, the Doc was right the stench was getting pretty intense as he slowly dried out. Dean shot him an evil look but the mud smearing his face and the fact that his short hair was sticking up in muddy clumps at every conceivable angle, just made him look comical and drove Sam into further fits of laughter.

Once he'd calmed down the Doctor continued, a faint smile still gracing her face. "I'm going to give you an anti-inflammatory shot directly into the joint and a shot of painkiller. Then I'll just wrap it for you and you can be on your way. Just stay off it for a couple of days, keep the foot elevated and use ice to help bring the swelling down. If it doesn't show any improvement by the end of the week come back in." Both Sam and Dean nodded their understanding, as the Doctor made swift work of seeing to Deans ankle.

"Now I'm just going to borrow your friend to fill out some paperwork and you can be on your way."

Once in the quite corridor she turned to face him with a serious expression. "Sam what really happened to your brother?"

Sams jaw dropped.

"Oh pleeease. The way you were hovering over him, you're either brothers or you're an entirely **different** sort of partners."

Sam blushed.

"Yes that's what I thought." She fixed him with a hard stare, before softening her stance slightly. "Sam, he's clearly traumatized. He isn't speaking and he flinches when touched. If something happened to him I can help."

Suddenly understanding what the Doctor was getting at, Sam felt sick to his stomach. He stared back into the room where Dean was still sitting staring off into space, a thick hospital blanket the Doctor had given him at the beginning of the examination wrapped tightly around him. No, it couldn't be could it? There was no way the bitch……

Shaking his head, he turned back to face the Doctor. "No, it wasn't anything like that."

The young woman just sighed, clearly understanding that she wasn't going to get any more out of Sam.

"Look if you change your mind this is the clinic number, I've written mine on the back. You can call anytime."

"Thanks." Sam took the card trying to clear his head. "You said something about paperwork?"

"And what name would you be putting on it? Superman?" She raised an amused eyebrow and snorted. "I think the State of Colorado can cover your expenses this once. Just tell your brother to come up with a better alias next time, that ones old. I'll send Marty in to get you." She smiled. "Oh and Sam, you can keep the blanket, I really think it's beyond saving by now."

With that she headed off back down the corridor, but half way down she paused and turned back, a worried look on her face. "Sam, if you want my advice, take your brother and get out of town."

"What do you mean?"

She just gave him a helpless shrug. "I don't know. All I know is this isn't the same town I grew up in."

With that she walked away.

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**Please review**


	8. Bedside chats

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: as chapter 1.

It didn't take long to get back to their room but Dean was barely conscious by the time they did. Sam new the effort of keeping up a brave front was draining his brother but it didn't stop him being surprised when he simply toppled onto his bed unconscious, still wrapped in the hospitals blanket and wearing only one boot. Fast asleep before his head even touched the pillow, not that he'd made it anywhere near the pillow.

The younger Winchester sighed, squatting down he pulled his unconscious brother into a sitting position and began to strip off the worst of his fowl smelling clothing. The jacket and over shirt where easy enough but after careful consideration he'd decided to leave his brothers T-shirt on, it was dry enough and Dean waking up without it would inevitably result in him going off on a rant about pervy little brothers and the need for personal boundaries, or at least Sam hoped it would. Running a gentle hand through his brothers' mud incrusted hair, he sighed again. He would do just about anything right now to have his brother back to his normal self, even if he was yelling at him.

After a little further thought he left the jean in place too, he just wasn't sure he could get them over Deans damaged ankle without making it worse. Pulling the elder boy up to the top of the bed, he set about getting him comfortable, using a pillow to raise his injure ankle Sam grabbed a couple chemical ice packs out of their ever present first aid kit and placed them round the injured limb, before pulling up the covers over his brothers still form.

Then not knowing what else to do, Sam pulled out the laptop and settled down to wait. It had only been a bit over three hours since they had headed off to look for Emily Hillards grave, but it left like a lifetime. Sam wanted nothing better than to curl into a ball and sleep, but he couldn't not while his brother still needed him, so instead he started to research the Hillard family because if there were two things he was now sure of it was that the ghost wasn't working alone and this wasn't over.

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An hour later having paused only to grabbed a quick shower, Sam was engrossed in his work. To engrossed to notice when Dean began to shift restlessly, not until the screaming started. Sam was at his brothers side in an instant, grabbing his shoulder to shake him awake, only to have Dean wrench away from him and pull himself into a defensive ball on the far side of the bed. "Please, I'll be good." The words came out of his brothers mouth in a desperate whisper, he was begging Sam realized. His brother never begged. Then remembering Andy Ritters words Sams eyes began to cloud with tears, this couldn't be happening, he wanted to be sick.

Moving to the other side of the bed, he tried to pull his brothers arms away from his face.

"Dean please, just listen to me. It's Sammy, o.k. I've got you man, you're safe. Nothings going to hurt you, I won't let it."

"Sammy?" Dean sounded so small and young, that this time Sam really did begin to cry.

"Yeah, Dean it's me. You're safe now." With that Deans body shuddered once and went limp, one hand snaking up to fist itself into the front of Sams shirt. The younger Winchester gathered his brother to his chest, holding him there for what felt like an eternity, until Dean finally pushed away.

"Fuck."

"No kidding man." Sam smiled at his brother who was now sitting propped up against the headboard, staring at him with tired, haunted eyes. "Want to tell me what happened?" he asked cautiously, he didn't want to push but he needed to know.

Dean new it too but still seemed to consider it for a moment. "Yeah, I guess I'd better." He sounded resigned.

"Hey Dean I just realized" Sam grinned at his brother "you're talking again."

Deans eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "I stopped?"

His expression was so comical Sam began to laugh, he couldn't help it, he was just so relieved. Calming slightly he pulled his brother into a fierce hug still grinning stupidly, only this time Dean didn't let him get away with it. "Sam get off me you overgrown ape, I can't breath."

Sam let go but left one hand gripping his brothers arm. Dean didn't stop him, to be honest he needed the contact, it kept him grounded and stopped him slipping back into the nightmares that were still plaguing his mind.

He swallowed a couple of times before looking Sam in the eye. "I saw how she died." Then he paused and shook his head. "No, that's not right, I relived her death."

Sam swallowed hard, praying that the doctor hadn't been right.

"But that's not all……" Dean was suddenly finding his hands very interesting. Sam shifted position moving to sit next to Dean up against the headboard and waited. He didn't say anything when his brother leaned in a little closer so there shoulders pressed together, he new it was about the only comfort the stubborn idiot was going to except right now.

"there where others, people she had killed or drove mad. I could feel them too, what she did to them. How they died." He paused for a moment as if reliving some past terrible even, which Sam had to guess he was. "and through it all I kept hearing this voice telling me I was a sinner and had too repent."

"Repent for what?"

"I don't know." Dean turned to look his brother in the eye, suddenly very serious. "Believe me Sam if I new, I would have repented."

"Dean I'm sorry man. I should have got to you sooner."

"Yeah, what went wrong with that?" There was no accusation in his brothers' voice but Sam still felt his heart clench. "I thought you where going to burn the bitch?"

"She wasn't there Dean, the grave was empty."

Dean ran a hand over his face, dislodging a small shower of dried mud in the process but he didn't seem to notice. "That explains a few things."

"What?"

"A spirit doesn't get that hyped up without some serious black magic being involved."

Sam nodded "You'd need the body for the rituals, and to control the spirit." He new his brother was trying to pull him off topic but he wasn't ready to give up just yet. "Still I should have got to you in time."

"You did Sam." Then he admitted quietly. "I don't know if I could have taken much more."

They sat in silence for awhile each caught up in their own thoughts. Sam was really shaken, there was no way Dean could ever have done anything to deserve this, sure his brother could be a brash load mouth at times but he was also the most caring person Sam new, there where no ends to the lengths he would go to protect someone else from harm. The idea anyone else could think otherwise worried him no end.

Finally Dean broke the silence, as he began to sniff the air, his face contorting in disgust. "Dude what's that smell? It's terrible."

Sam had to smile at that. "**Dude**, that would be you."

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**Please review**


	9. Eleanor

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: as chapter 1.

"Arrr gross. Why did you let me go to sleep like this? It's disgusting." Dean sniffed tentatively at himself, pulling a face as he did so. "I need a shower."

That was an understatement, but…"Dean, no. You look like death and there's no way you're standing on that ankle. We can get you cleaned up here if we have too."

Dean smirked. "You offering to give me a sponge bath, Sammy. Really sweet of you and all, but you just don't do if for me. Way too lanky and that hair……..what can I say."

"I………

what……..

you…………..

Oh, shut up!" Sam glared at his brother in exasperation before running his hand through his hair "and there's nothing wrong with my hair."

"Whatever you say, sweet cheeks." Dean already had his legs swung over the side of the bed and was testing his foot against the floor. "I always said you where a girl."

Satisfied that he wasn't going to land on his face, he limped towards the bathroom.

"I know what you doing, jerk."

"Whatever, bitch." With that the bathroom door closed cutting off the conversation.

Sam sighed and ran a tired hand across his face. His brother had been doing this too him his entire life, distracting him from how hurt he really was by getting him too angry to brood on the fact that he nearly lost his big brother, again. Hiding his own fears behind a mask of crude jokes and graphic innuendo, anything to distract others from how he was really feeling. Shame it didn't work. Well, at least not as well as it used too. Sam had to smile, his brother was certainly a pro when it came to being annoying.

But the thing was, you didn't just bounce back from something like this however hard they both wanted to pretend, no one did, not even the indestructible Dean Winchester. His brother was still hurt and afraid; Sam could see it in every move he made. "For once just let me in Dean, we're stronger together and you know it." He spoke quietly knowing his brother couldn't hear him, wouldn't hear him. There was no way on earth his brother would ever tell him what really happened, what it felt like to feel those people die. His brother was trying to protect him and for once Sam really just wished he wouldn't.

He sighed and looked over at the piles of research now littering the rooms' tiny table, wondering how he was going to tell his brother what he'd found out and what now after talking to Dean he suspected. His brother had been through so much already.

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It took him a good 10 minutes to even get as far as the shower, his body ached and it was difficult to stay focused, making any movement slow going, and that was without his ankle. Maneuvering the swollen limb out of his mud encrusted jeans had really been a barrel of laughs, still the prospect of being warm and clean was worth it.

Climbing into the shower he let the warm water wash over him. His eyes closed briefly only to pop open again an instant later when pain filled images began to play through his head. Sighing he let himself slip to the ground, it was to much effort to stand anyway, what with the spikes of pain shooting up his leg and the way the world kept tilting sideways.

Squeezing a coin sized dollop of shampoo into his hand he started to clean the worst of the mud out of his hair, his mind drifting as he did so. It wasn't the pain that bothered him most, he could deal with the pain, it was the helplessness and confusion that all the victims, even Emily Hillard had felt before they died that really got to him. None of them new why they had been singled out, what terrible sin they had committed and they certainly hadn't been given the chance to repent. Still, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman, even after all she had done, no one deserved to die like that.

Climbing out of the shower, he slowly started to get dressed, thankful that Sam had thought to stick a clean set of clothes around the door while he was getting washed. Carefully rewrapping his ankle, he tried to think about what to do next. The events of the day had shaken him far more than he would ever admit. Sticking his hand out in front of him he tried to still the trembling. He needed to get out and just do something normal, to be around people for a bit, which was pretty ironic for a man who usually scoffed at the very idea of normalcy but the whole experience had been so shocking that maybe he just needed to be reminded he was still alive.

Taking a deep breath, he got up and pushed open the door. "Come on Sammy, we're going to dinner."

Sams' head shot up at his brothers' announcement, mouth open to protest but some instinct stopped him, for some reason this was something Dean needed and he wasn't going to say no to that.

Fine but you're taking that." He said gesturing to the county issue wooden crutch propped up in the corner.

Dean grimaced.

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The diner was warm and filled with quite chatter, but it was subdued and not really helping as much as Dean had hoped. So he just poked apathetically at his pie, even Sandy was quieter than before, barely saying a word to either of them. She kept casting furtive glances at the Sheriff and Reverend Hillard who were eating dinner in the corner, her naturally smiley face sullen.

"Dean?" Sam ducked his head slightly trying to catch his brothers' attention.

"Yeah." He snapped out of his musings enough to look his brother in the eye.

"Do you want to hear what I found or what?"

"Sure." Sam was getting a bit worried, his brother was still pretty out of it. Shrugging he decided to give his brother the time and space he was silently asking for, at least for now. "Here look at this." He shoved an old news picture across the table.

The picture showed the Reverend standing outside his house, a teenage girl in an old fashioned dress standing stiffly at his side. Dean silently read the caption 'Reverend Richard Hillard pictured outside his home with daughters Emily Francis and Eleanor Jennifer.' Looking back at the picture in surprise, he finally spotted the second child. Standing slightly apart from the rest of the family was a little girl, a pale reflection of her older darker sister, she was almost lost in the back ground, one hand tentatively reaching out towards her sisters as if wondering if it was safe to try and grip it.

Staring at this odd little familys picture a worrying thought occurred to him. "Sam what happened to the mother?"

Sams lips pressed into a thin line at the question and he new he was right.

"She died in a fire when Eleanor was six months old, the fire started in her nursery."

"Dam. So she's…."

"Yeah"

"And she's….."

"Probably." Sam ran a hand through his hair, he was finding this all a little hard to coup with. "I can't think of anyone else who would have a better motive to be targeting the Ritters in this way and we both know that these kids have abilities that could help her control the ghost."

"Sam, it doesn't have to be her." Dean gave his brother a sympathetic look, he new that the idea that another of the Demons 'Children' had gone dark side had Sam worrying about his own future. "and even if it is her, she's just another messed up kid. You met her father, who could be normal living with that? You're not the same as them."

Sam was the one staring at his hands now, absentmindedly playing with the card they had found on the car earlier. He opened his mouth to speak when a small gasp stopped him. Sandy was standing next to them her hand pressed firmly to her mouth, staring at the card.

"Sandy?" Queried Dean softly, the girl looked spooked. Sandys eyes flew up to meet his, wide and frightened before flicking over to the corner table where the Sheriff and Reverend sat. She didn't say anything just shook her head and all but ran back to the kitchen.

The two brothers exchanged a look. "Go." Sam just nodded his head in acknowledgement and got up, trying to look casual as he made his way to the back of the restaurant. Back in the booth Dean sighed and gave his crutch an evil look, there was no way he was running after anyone for a while. Dam he hated feeling helpless.

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Sam caught up with Sandy in the corridor by the kitchen her face pale and drawn. "You've seen a note like that before, haven't you?" he kept is voice low and gentle, not wanting to spook the girl further.

"It's nothing really, it's just been a long day." With that she moved to push past Sam into the kitchen.

He reached out and grabbed her elbow. "Sandy, James was attacked today, he could have been killed. If you know something you have to tell me."

"Oh God." The words came out as a low groan and she visibly slumped against the wall.

Sam let go of her arm and just waited.

"Scot Allen, got one eight months ago. I wouldn't have known except I was with him when he found it, it was left on his car." She paused smiling sadly to herself. "He was nice like you're friend."

"How do you mean?"

"Fun to be around." She shrugged slightly unable to find the correct words. "He really new how to show a girl a goodtime, unlike the idiots round here."

"So he wasn't local then?"

"No, he was a conservation studies major over at UC Boulder. He was up here for a couple of months doing fieldwork."

"Sandy, what happened to him?"

"They said he wandered off the path in bad weather, and just fell off the ridge."

"But you don't think so?"

"No. My brother was part of the search party that found him. He said he had cuts all over his hands and face like he'd been running through the undergrowth but apart from that there wasn't a mark on him, nothing too suggest that he'd fallen off a cliff." She swallowed hard, looking away.

"There's something else isn't there?" Sam prodded her gently.

"Nick said he looked scared, like the devil himself was after him."

A single tear escaped and ran down cheek. Sam reached out and wiped it away.

"He wouldn't have just got lost, he new the area really well and he was always so careful."

Sam nodded. "Thank you for telling me." He smiled at the young woman and patted her arm, moving to go.

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Dean looked up to see his brother hurrying towards him, his wallet still in his hand from paying. "We're leaving." He just nodded.

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Once back in there motel room, Sam started pacing, gesticulating wildly with his hands as he did so. "I didn't put it together before, not until you said about the other people she had killed and Sandy said about Scot Allen. They're covering up for her. Eleanor, I mean."

"Who's covering up for her Sam?"

"The coroner at least, maybe the sheriff too."

"Sam. Why do you think that? You're not making any sense."

Trying to calm himself, Sam started to explain. "After what you said earlier I went back over all the deaths reported around the coordinates Dad sent us, at least eight of the autopsy reports had something wrong with them. Some where attributed to animal attacks but the wound patterns where wrong, the claw marks looked more like a windigos than a bears. In others there weren't enough injuries explain the deaths, it was like they just lay down and died but it was to warm for it to be exposure and the victims where too young for it to be a heart attack. The one thing they all had in common was that they were all signed off on by the same man Darren Corfield, who just happens to be Eleanor Hillards Godfather. He couldn't have just missed this Dean, not this many."

"O.K, so the coroners involved, but why? And why the two M.Os?"

"I don't know Dean maybe he's just protecting her, or maybe he believes like she does that these men are sinners and deserved to be punished, as for the different M.Os, I don't know."

"What sin Sam, I still don't get that? The youngest Winchester didn't miss the silent 'What did I do?' in his brothers question.

Smiling uncomfortably he gave his best guess. "Lust" Deans eyebrows shot up at that. "Think about it Dean, Sandy said Scot Allen wasn't adversed to showing the girls a good time, and you where chatting her up just before you got the note. When you add in what happened to her sister, it could be that Eleanors taking out anyone she sees as a potential attacker. Lust is one of the seven deadly sins after all." He finished lamely.

"Sam there's a big difference between chatting a girl up and raping one." Dean was feeling distinctly uncomfortable, O.K he may not have been entirely honest in some of his dealings with the fairer sex, but he had never pushed anyone into doing anything they didn't want to do. The very idea repulsed him.

Sam gave his brother a sympathetic look, he new this wasn't easy for him. "You're thinking rationally Dean, I don't think the same can be said for Eleanor."

"No kidding." The elder hunter ran a frustrated hand through his short hair, trying in vain to easy the tension in his shoulders. "So how do we find her? Do you have any leads?"

"No it's like once she finished high school she just vanished, I ran a national trace using her name and date of birth, nothing. Even before that, it's like the gravestone, somebody's tried to wipe out any trace of this girls existence."

"Dam, this isn't good."

Sam had started pacing again, his agitation rising once more.

"Sam go to bed. There's nothing more we can do tonight and you're driving me nuts here." Sam looked over at his brother, Dean had already changed for bed and was practically drooping against the headboard, his pale face drawn.

"Sorry." He really didn't think he would be sleeping anytime soon but there was no need to keep Dean up, his brother looked about ready to drop.

Stripping off his jeans and over shirt he lay down on the other bed, intending to think things through a little further, but instead he fell into a deep dreamless sleep. At least until the nightmare started.

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A**ny comments, suggestions or major problems? Anyone out there? Also could anyone tell me why I don't seem to have a pull down menu at the bottom, I haven't broken anything have I? Thanks to anyone who has reviewed this and a Merry Christmas.**


	10. Things you shouldn't say

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: As chapter 1.

Sam/Eleanor lay flat on the floor their nose pressed up to the crack under the door, trying not to breath in a lung full of dust from the unfinished wood. "You don't think he's right about me do you Em? She was trying to hide how important her sisters answer was to her but Sam could feel it as an almost physical pain when an answer wasn't instantly forthcoming.

"No, I guess not." The voice at the other side of the door didn't sound very convincing and its lack of confidence brought instant tears to the childs' eyes. "Maybe….maybe you should just play along………maybe if he gets it right this time, he won't have to do it again." Eleanor was all out crying now, anger filling the void her sisters words opened up inside of her.

"There's only one monster in this house and it's not me!" The words came out louder than she'd expected and child at the other side of the door gasped in fear, shushing her sister.

Eleanor pulled herself away from the door and back into the far corner of the room, her ankle was still too sore to walk on, so she had to crawl. Once there she pulled herself into a small ball and continued to cry, ignoring the quite pleas' coming from under the door.

Sam thought Eleanor must have fallen asleep then because the next thing he heard was footsteps approaching them across the floor. Eleanors eyes shot open and she pulled herself more tightly into the corner, terrified. "Please, I'll be good." She whimpered, all anger gone.

"This is for your own good child, your Demon must be purged." The child was so transfixed by the leather belt in the mans' hand, that she didn't instantly register it when he began to chant, but when she did both she and Sam recognized the words for what they were, a Latin invocation to cast out the Devil, essentially an exorcism. Anger and hate flooded back into the child as the man raised the belt intent on driving the Devil out by force if necessary. "Noooooooo!" She screamed and the room began to shake, the windows blowing out in an almighty shower of glass.

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"Nooooooooooooooo!" Dean shot up in bed at the sound of his brothers scream, just in time to see Sam hit the floor between their two beds.

"Sam. Sam. You alright?" He was staring down at Sam, instantly worried when his brother only nodded mutely and climbed back onto his bed.

"I happened again." He said dully.

"Sam. What?" Dean paused trying to will life into his sleep deprived brain. "Eleanor, you mean?"

Sam nodded and taking a deep breath began to explain what he'd seen. By the time he was finished he was pacing again, even more agitated than before. "Dean even her own father and sister believed she was evil."

Dean snorted. "And we're going to believe Mr. Crackpot, why? Look Sam I've no doubt he had booth those kids more than half convinced that they were possessed by the Devil but it doesn't make it true. Nothing you've been telling me makes me think we're dealing with anything other than an abused kid, who's too messed up to know any better. And Sam for the record Max was no different."

Sams agitation was rapidly turning to irritation. How could his brother be so blind? "Dean she reacted to the exorcism, things were moving!" He was yelling now, terrified of what this could mean for him if this woman real was evil.

"Or she's some kind of psychic reacting to the fact that she's about to get the crap beat out of her!" They were both yelling now, but Dean tried to calm himself, he needed to get through to Sam before things got any more out of control than they already were. "Sam you're getting to close to this and you're making assumption, which isn't like you. Listen, you've moved things yourself when you've been scared and the last thing on your mind was hurting anyone."

Sam visibly paled at the reminder of how he had move the cabinet back at Maxs' house.

Sam, I think.." Sam cut him off, all the fear and uncertainty he'd been feeling since he met Max Miller boiled up inside him and he lashed out at the one person in his life who had never done anything to deserve it. "Think, **Dean**. You don't think. You never even finished High School, man. How could you possibly expect to understand any of **THIS!** God, you're such an idiot! No wonder Dad left you!"

He had no idea where those words came from, he had wanted to lash out, smash something but not his brother. The anger was still there though, choking the apologies he should have been blurting out. So he just stood there, fists clenched, breathing hard and just stared at Dean. The blood had leached out of his brothers already pale face, leaving the wound Sam had inflicted clearly visible in his eyes. It wasn't a new wound, Sam could see that now, it was ragged and fragile, as if it had been ripped open too many times in the past and never truly been allowed to heal. The sight of it made Sam sick to his stomach.

Then it was gone. Deans mask had fallen back into place, his walls where back up. Anger overwhelmed the hurt in his eyes. "I don't know what bug crawled up your butt to die **Sammy**, but deal with it. Just leave me out of it." The words were practically a hiss.

Sam could only watch as his brother limped towards the door grabbing jeans and shoes on the way. It was only when the door slammed, did his body relax dropping him to the floor.

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Dean managed to get around the corner of the motel before he had to stop, his ankle was killing him and his head seemed to be intent on giving him an instant reply of Sammys little tirade. His back hit the wall, as he slid down it. He took a couple of deep breaths trying to calm himself so he could think clearly. The truth was he wasn't angry at Sam, not really, he was too hurt and confused for there to be any room for anger.

However much he hated the mushy stuff he wished his brother would just talk to him. Sam had been off ever since the incident with Max, at first Dean had just thought it was regret at not having been able to help the troubled young man. Sams unwillingness to except that the kid was just too far gone to save, was just typical of his compassionate younger sibling but in the past few weeks Dean had watch those thoughts twist and morph inside his brother, feeding on his fears about these strange new powers of his. Dean was afraid too but not in the way his brother seemed to think, he would never ever believe his brother evil. He'd known the kid his entire life, Sam just didn't have it in him.

Himself on the other hand, he thought with a wry sad smile. Dean wasn't much given to introspection for one thing he didn't much like what he saw, the things he was willing to do, the things he had done especially when it came to protecting his family scared him sometimes. Whoever left that note on his car didn't know the half of it. In the end he couldn't really blame Sam for wanting rid of him, who would want a freak for brother, a man who didn't exist outside of the hunt. If he though Sam would be safe, might even consider leaving him, letting him have the normal life he so clearly wanted, even if it meant loosing his last remaining connection to the real world. He sometimes worried that without Sam or his Dad to call him back he would loose himself in the dark and end up becoming the thing he hunted. Sam was right he had no place in decent society, no other skills to offer than those of a hunter. Hell, in the eyes of the world he was already dead. God, no wonder Dad had bailed.

Dean scrubbed his hands across his face, a little surprised when they came off wet. _Pussy_, he mentally scolded himself, _Get back in the game. You've got a job to do. _

He paused for a moment resting his hand on the door, he could almost feel his brother on the other side. The thing that Sam didn't understand was that he wasn't afraid of his brother freaky new powers, he was afraid of what they meant. He was afraid that their Mom had just got in the way, that the Demons target had always been Sam. So until he new his brother was safe, he wasn't going anywhere and Sam would just have to live with it.

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Sam hadn't moved from his spot on the floor, he didn't think he could even if he wanted too. _Way to go Sam, kick your brother while he's down, why don't you. It's not as if he wasn't already having a bad enough day already_. Sam mentally berated himself. What he had said was unfair and untrue, he new that better than anyone. Sure his brother would never be a candidate for MENSA but he was far from stupid, he had a natural ability with anything electronic or mechanical, and a knack for seeing to the heart of a problem that had surprised more than a few of his teachers who had thought he wasn't even paying attention, and knowing Dean he probably wasn't.

Dean had been 17 when he dropped out. Their Dad had been badly injured during a hunt, when a black dog had pushed in off a cliff, he had been was a coma for 3 weeks and it was a further 2 months before he even got out of hospital. All their money had evaporated overnight paying for the parts of their Dads care their meager insurance didn't cover and for the first time in their lives they had been truly alone. It had been terrifying for the 13 year old Sam and as always he'd looked to his big brother to fix it. Dean was still too young to get away with hustling cards and pool without their Dad and it was too dangerous to keep using fake credit cards when they couldn't move on, so Dean had dropped out. He'd ended up work 3 part time jobs in order to keep food on the table and their Dad in hospital. His brother had always been exhausted in those days, a pale shadow of the boy Sam new as his brother, but he had never once let Sam skip school to help him out, in fact four years later it had been Dean who had insisted that they stay put so Sam could finish his senior year in one school.

Months later when John Winchester had finally asked his son if he was O.K with dropping out Dean had just shrugged and said he'd never much liked school anyway, and if Sam hadn't been with his brother that day at the school he might have believed him, but he had. He'd seem the look in his eyes as he'd signed the papers that would end his school career and the way he'd barely been able to let go of the papers when the school secretary had come to take them off him. He new that Dean had given up any dreams he might have had for life of his own that day and he had done it without ever asking for anything in return or even an acknowledgement of what he had done, because for his brother family always came first. Sam thought his Dad new it too, he'd seen it in the way their father had gripped his brother shoulder the day he'd ask the question and in the fact that he'd given Dean the Impala, which had up until that point been **his** pride and joy, just a few days later. Sam rubbed a shaky hand over his face, thinking hard.

Dean couldn't really believe their Dad had left because of him, could he? Sure John Winchester wasn't the most demonstrative of parents, but Sam had seen the way he had looked at Dean growing up. The way his eyes lit up with pride and love as he looked at the man his son was becoming, even when Sam smiled to himself, he was yelling at Dean not to get too cocky over some newly acquired skill. Could Dean have really have missed it? Knowing his brother, yes he probably could.

Sighing he ran a tired hand over his face, he wanted so badly to explain to his brother how he was feeling, but how do you tell someone you love that you're the one responsible for ruining their life? The Demon was after them because of him, he was sure of that now. Their mom had died because of him. Dean had had his childhood stolen because of him. Silently he wondered what his brothers life would have been like if he'd never been born. He'd have probably gone to work for their Dad at the Garage, Dean had always loved cars it was something he and their father had always bonded over, or maybe he'd have gone to college to study engineering he certainly had the talent for it. But if there was one thing Sam was certain about though was that he would be married probably to somebody smart and fiery like Cassie, he'd seen how he looked at her, because however much he might protest the one thing in life Dean really wanted was a family, a group of people to love and need him just as much as he loved and needed them. Hell, he'd probably still be going over to Mum and Dads every Sunday for lunch. But his life wasn't like that, at this rate Dean would be lucky if he made it to thirty. He'd certainly never get to hear someone call him Daddy, not if he kept living this life.

Maybe the best thing to do for his brother was leave, but he was terrified what would happen to him if he did. Dean was the only home he had ever known, even Jess however much he loved her didn't know him as well as his brother did, if he lost that would he be lost too? He didn't really want to find out, not that he had a choice anymore. He'd really put his foot in it this time, he wouldn't blame Dean at all if he dumped his ass for this.

Slowly crawling back into bed he settled down to wait and see if his brother would return.

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Deans head had come to rest next to his hand on the motel door, but apart from that he hadn't moved, he couldn't bring himself too. The idea of going back inside to another shouting match, was just too much right now. He new it made him a coward but at this moment he just didn't care.

Shifting so his back was resting up against the door he looked out at the town, it was mostly dark but he could make out a set of lights to his far left, a bar he realized with a relieved grin. Looking at his watch, he was surprised to see that it wasn't even midnight. Man, this was turning into a really long day. Maybe a drink wasn't such a bad idea he reasoned, he should be able to make it without too much trouble even if he'd forgotten to bring his hated crutch when he'd stormed out earlier. His escape plans made, he set out. Maybe if he was lucky Sam would have calmed down by the time he got back, or at least be asleep.

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**O.K so this is turning into something of a behemoth, which was never my intention, especially not on my first attempt. So thank you anyone who is still sticking with it (I think I'm about half way…ish), honestly there is an end and I even know what it is. Let me know what you think, please?**


	11. Revelations

**Chapter 11**

**Sorry, this has taken so long. I've been busy and to be quite honest got a little distracted by other projects, but I'm trying to keep to my New Years resolution to actually finish the things I start, so here's the next chapter. If anybody's still out there, please let me know what you think.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own them, just play with them.**

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Dean lent up against the bar, shifting most of his weight on to his elbows to try and ease some of the pressure on his ankle as he waited for the Grizzly Adams look-a-like of a barman to notice him. This may not have been one of his better ideas, he was still more shaken by the days events than he would ever care to admit. He felt dirty inside of his own skin, he could still feel the echoes of what had happened to Emily and all those others, every unwanted touch, every plea for mercy was etched into his mind. Mark in particular stuck in his thoughts, he could still hear him inside of his head alternately praying that his brother would come and rescue him, and begging any higher power that would care to listen to keep his brother was as far away from this as possible. In the end neither prayer had been answered and he had died unable to protect either his brother or himself. It was Deans worst nightmare.

The elder Winchester came close to jumping out of his skin when a light touch on his shoulder broke him out of his reverie. He shrugged violently away from the hand, spinning around to face his attacker, he placed too much weight on his healing ankle and stumbled back against the bar, hissing in pain. The bar went instantly quite and Deans world came back into focus to every pair of eyes in the place staring at him, he had never been more embarrassed in his life, but worst of all was the knowing look in Dr. Warrens eyes as she withdrew her hand so there was no further chance of touching him.

"It looks like I'm not the only one who could use a beer right about now." She spoke loudly enough to be heard across the bar and to break the tension that was building in the place. "Two Corona, Mitch."

Shifting slightly to offer Dean a shoulder to lean on, she indicated an empty table in the corner with her head. Wanting to get out of the spotlight as quickly as possible, he took the shoulder and together they headed towards the corner.

"Here up your foot up on this." She pushed a second chair towards him, as she took her seat at the other side of the table. Nodding to the surly Mitch as he placed two beers on the table, before turning her attention back to Dean.

"Normally I'd be asking what the hell was going on right about now," She smiled at Deans uneasy look. "but lucky for you I'm off the clock."

Still embarrassed the elder Winchester focused on his beer running a finger down its frosted neck, refusing to meet the womans eye. "Thanks."

"No problem." She let out a bone cracking yawn and reach up to massage the back of her neck, clearly in some discomfort. "Sorry. I fell asleep on the ready room couch again, dam thing always give me nightmares, I think it's possessed."

Dean felt the tension bleeding out of him, as the doctor made it clear she wasn't going to be asking any awkward questions. "Quite night?" He smiled, mentally discounting the possibility of a possessed couch. That would just be to weird.

"No kidding." She gave him a wry grin. "Honestly, your twisted ankle was the highlight of my day."

"So why do you work there? I mean from everything Marty was saying, you could get a job wherever you wanted."

She rolled her eyes at the mention of the overly enthusiastic Ranger, but remained silent for a moment as if deciding how much to tell him. When she began to speak it was her turn to look embarrassed. "I was born here, you know. So when the chance came up to do maternity cover just as I finished my residency, I guess I took it as a sign that it was time to come back." She shrugged, her ears going red. "To find closure."

Dean gave her a sympathetic look. "That bad, hu?"

"Yeah. This town isn't exactly the kind of place you want to be different."

He gave her a teasing grin, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't tell me, you were a geek."

She grinned. "Oh yes, an umber geek."

"But that wasn't all was it?"

She blinked obviously a little surprised at how easily he had read her. "No that's not all." She sighed. "My father and I didn't exactly get along, I left for college as soon as I finished High school and never looked back."

Dean looked at his hands remembering what it was like to have Sam leave, it still hurt. He was surprised when he heard himself speak, he didn't talk about this, not to anyone. "My brother and Dad…..my father's a good man but they were always butting heads……my brother left for college right after High school. We couldn't have spoken more than a couple of times in the four years he was away."

"I'm sorry. If there is one thing I still regret about going, it was leaving my sister behind. At least you and Sam are talking to each other again."

Dean gave her a surprised look, having momentarily forgotten what Sam had said about the Doc not falling for there false IDs and pegging them for brothers.

"Yeah well……maybe talking is putting to strongly."

He didn't usually feel this bad about getting caught lying, not that he got caught very often. "My names Dean by the way."

"Jen." She smiled. "Dean suits you a lot better than James."

Dean smiled.

"So you and Sam had a fight?"

"Yeah." He answered, not wanting to talk about it.

Jen held up her hands in an appeasing gesture. "Just don't let it fester, O.K. You never know what's going to happen."

Dean nodded in acknowledgement, before speaking. "You and your sister?"

"Yeah I think it's safe to say we left things a little too long." She gave him a sad smile, her eyes filled with pain.

"Sorry." He reached across the table and gave her wrist a gentle squeeze.

"Don't be. I've still got family and a good life, just not here."

"So why, stay?"

"Just working out my contract, then it's back to Boston and a nice little job as a trauma specialist." She ran a tired hand over her face. "As for closure, I don't know if I found it or even anything close but at least I know now there's nothing left for me here in Stepford. Time to move on."

"Well that's healthy."

Jen laughed throwing her head back. "That's me, the model for well adjusted. My sister would kill herself laughing if she could see me now, she was always the calm sensible one. Honestly that girl had the patience of Job, me I had the temper in the family."

Dean laughed at the idea of Jen as a hormonal and pissy teen. "I imagine she would be proud of how you've matured."

Jen threw a wadded up paper towel at him in revenge for the dig. "Yeah she would be. She would also tell me to get out of Dodge and never look back. This town's even stranger now than when I was a kid."

Deans eyes lit up with curiosity at the comment, but any questions he might want to ask where put on hold by Mitch dropping a brown paper bag in front of Jen with an unfriendly grunt.

Jen smiled at him, registering his surprise at the mans odd behaviour. "I'd actually just popped in for take out when I ran in to you. It was a long shift and I couldn't be bothered cooking."

Dean was beginning to feel that he was even more off his game than he thought, it hadn't even occurred to him to wonder why Jen didn't seem to be here with anyone, after all she certainly didn't seem to be the type to be trawling bars for a little late night company.

Fortunately she didn't seem to have noticed his discomfort or at least chose not to comment on it. Instead she waved the bag cheerfully in front of his face. "Want to split? Mitch goes in for 'real mens' portions, I can never finish them."

The smell of fried food reminded him that he had barely picked at his dinner earlier and it did smell good but he had other reasons for wanting to hold on to the moment, not that he was going to admit it, even to himself but he was still feeling shaken and Jens undemanding company was calming to say the least, so he nodded. Watching as Jen ripped open the bag producing a burger the size of a dinner plate and a ton of fries.

They ate in silence for a while, just enjoying each others company.

"You said the towns changed?" Dean queried as Jen pushed the rest of her fries across the table at him.

"Yeah, this used to be a logging town until they extended the boundaries of the national park about 12 years back, everyone lost their jobs overnight. I guess they all panicked when they saw their lives circling the drain, because when the mayor suggested making this place a tourist attraction, everyone jumped at the idea." She shrugged. "Or at least most of them did?"

"The Ritters?"

Jen gave him a surprised look, before nodding. "The town wasn't exactly friendly to them after the change, not that they were particularly friendly before, but I guess they thought they really wouldn't fit in, in their shiny new world."

"Real nice town."

"No kidding."

"So did the town actually have anything to worry about from the Ritter boys or did they just not fit with the towns new picture perfect image?"

"Oh they were trouble all right, but not the not the bad kind. I new them all growing up, they were always into something, the whole family." She looked sad for a moment before, smiling as some old memory came to mind. "Practical jokes. Fights. Poaching and other crazy schemes. That sort of thing. Sure, the old man was a mean drunk but the boys they'd never hurt anyone on purpose, at least not anyone who didn't deserve it."

"Even Ray jr.?"

Her face fell and she made no move to answer.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." He was genuinely surprised by the strength of her reaction.

"It's O.K. It's just a touchy subject," She gestured around the room. "for everyone around here."

That may be the true but Dean sensed it was a lot more personal in Jens case, still he let it drop.

Jen gave him a sad smile and moved to get up, sticking out a hand to help him up. "Come on, I'll give you a lift home. Save your ankle."

The mood was definitely broken and for that Dean was more sorry for that than he would have ever imagined, because now he was alone again and it hurt.

Hiding his pain he took Jens hand and let her help him toward the door.

"I thought I told you there was no story here." The sheriff growled, pushing his way towards them across the bar. "Now I hear you're poking around in the wood, stirring up old troubles. I should run you out of town."

Dean bit back a groan, last thing he wanted to deal with right now was Barney Fife.

"On what charges Sheriff? Or don't you need a reason any more?"

If Dean was surprised by Jens words, he was shocked by her tone, she wasn't even trying to hide her contempt for the man.

"Stay out of this girl." His voice was low and dangerous.

"No. I'm not some little kid you can push around and ignore anymore, you try anything stupid I'll stop you." Jens voice was just as hard and uncompressing as the sheriffs.

Pushing past the stunned man, she head for the door a stunned Dean in tow.

Once in Jens car, Dean spoke, he wanted answers.

"What just happened?"

Jen drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, before answering.

"O.K, maybe the moving on thing isn't going so well."

"No kidding." He rolled his eyes. "What is it with you two?"

"Let's just say that my life and the lives of a lot of others would have been a lot different if that man actually new how to do his job." She closed her eyes and rested her head back against the seat, trying to calm herself. "Basically he's a bigoted little Hitler, with delusions of grandeur."

"Yeah, I kind of got that impression." A sly grin spread slowly across his face. "That was fucking awesome by the way."

Jen gave a nervous giggle which quickly turned a relieved laugh, as all tension drained from the car.

"Oh that was definitely a first for me. I honestly don't know what possessed me."

Dean gave her an understanding look. "Sometimes it's a lot easier to stand up for others than for yourself.

"Too true." She reached out and gave Deans leg a grateful pat. "Come on I'll get you home. I suddenly have this overwhelming urge to go hide under my bed."

Dean laughed. "You know the entire towns going to be talking about this tomorrow."

"Thanks that makes me feel so much better." Groaned Jen sarcastically as she pulled out of the parking lot.

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Sam woke to the sound of the shower running, groggily he looked over at the clock. It was quarter to ten. Why the hell had they slept so late? Then he remembered. Relief at his brothers' return warred with guilt, as the event of the previous night came flooding back, he had so much to apologies for. Sighing unhappily he let his head drop back down on to the pillow, he allowed himself to take comfort from the sounds of his brothers early morning routine. As long as they where together there was still hope that he could fix this.

The bathroom door opened and Dean walked out already dressed. "You got 15 minutes, then we hit the road." His voice was clipped and emotionless, sounding more like their Dad than his normal sardonic self.

Sam flinched at the coldness of the words but only nodded, refusing to meet his brothers eyes as he headed towards the bathroom. Dean rarely held a grudge but when he did he held onto it with all the tenacity of a Pitbull. This was going to be harder to fix than he ever imagined.

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Dean sunk down onto the bed, burying his head in his hands. The kid couldn't even look at him. Was he really that damaged that his own brother couldn't even bare to look at him anymore? Running a shaky hand over his face, he forced his emotions back under control. He just needed time to think, he could fix this he new it he just needed time, until then he would just stick to business.

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They were on the road in no time. Dean more than a little relieved that it wasn't his right ankle he had twisted, at least he could still drive and right now being able to drive his baby was the only thing keeping him sane.

Neither of them had said a word beyond the few sentences that were required to divide out the days work. Sam would take the psychiatric institute and find out what he could about what had happened to Andy, while he circled around and talked to Rays' commanding officer to see if he could get any leads on the guy.

The weather was deteriorating badly and it took them over 2 hours to even make it to Clearwater, so when Dean dropped Sam outside the Clearwater psychiatric institute with the instruction that he would pick him up outside the town library at four, it was a relief to them both. The silence in the car had been all consuming, as if it was a physical beginning trying to smother them, even AC/DC played at so loud it left Sams ears ring hadn't been enough to drown out the silence between them.

Fortunately for Dean the 20 mile drive to the Army Ranger and mountain training base was nothing like as bad as the first stretch of their journey, for one thing he actually got to drive on a proper highway instead of windy tracks. In a way he was almost disappointed when he reached his goal, it felt good to just drive, it gave him a peace that had been sorely missing from his life for past few weeks.

Showing his fake press credentials at the gate he asked to see the base commander, and was more than a little surprised when 15 minutes later he found himself being shown into a sparse military style office, from the reaction he'd got from the grim looking guard at the gate he'd thought this was going to be a lot harder. Taking a seat in the room single hard backed chair he settled down to wait, trying unsuccessfully to shake the feeling he had just been shown into the principles office.

A short time later a tall muscular looking man entered the room and offered Dean his hand. "I'm Colonel Beck, I was Captain Ritters commanding officer."

Dean made his introductions, although this time he took Jens advice and used a different name. Colonel Becks hard gaze never left him, the man was shrewd to say the least.

"I don't know who you really are Mr. Cole but I believe you're trying to get to the bottom of this so I'm going to throw you a bone."

Dean blinked in surprise but Beck didn't give him anytime to respond.

"Ray Ritter, was one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure to command, he would have never under any circumstances have done the things he was accused of."

"So you believe he's dead?"

"Yes. If he was alive, he would be here. This unit was his life he would have never abandoned it."

Dean was surprised at the Colonels staunch defence of the man, it didn't match with anything they had been able to dig up on the Ritters though. No he stopped himself, that wasn't entirely true, Jen seemed down right fond of them even if she did have some pretty serious issues revolving around Ray.

"Look kid, Ray had what it took to go all the way. He was smart, tough and loyal but most of all he was moral. You go into battle with a man you get to see who they really are, he wasn't a killer, he was a soldier."

The man frowned slightly and pinched the bridge of his nose, it was the first sign of weakness he had seen from the man and it made it very clear how he felt about the subject.

"I was the one who recommended him for officer training, a decision he never gave me cause to regret."

Dean met the man eyes thoughtfully. "Is there anything you could tell me that would shed any light on to what happened?"

"Nothing. He left the base on a three day pass that Friday and never came back. An investigation was launched but they never found anything and they eventually declared him AWOL. The murder charges where filed not long after that." He sat in silence for a moment seemingly going over the events of that day in his mind. "Ray was always real quite about his personal life, I got the impression that he hadn't had the easiest time growing up, but that day… I don't know he seemed on edge and he actually talked about getting in touch with his brothers. He seemed worried but happy as if he had come to a decision and was just waiting to see how it played out. When I asked him what was up and he just grinned and told me he'd tell me on Monday. I remember he told me whatever answer he got he was going to need a drink."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck, this certainly wasn't playing out as he expected it to. "Thank you for your time Colonel, you've given me a lot to think about."

The Colonel gave him a thoughtful look and handed him a small business card. "Call me if you need anything. We look after our own here, you take on one of us, you take on us all. Ray was well like here."

"Thank you, sir."

Dean moved towards the door before turning back. "Colonel, did Emily Hillards sister ever contact you after Captain Ritter disappeared?"

"Oh, yes." Snorted the man, not looking up from his desk. "That girls a real pistol, she was pissed as hell and more than willing to let everyone here about it."

With that the Colonel turned back to his work making it more than clear that the conversation was over. Dean left.

He was barely back at the car when his phone began to ring urgently, it was Sam.

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Clearwater psychiatric institute was tiny, it looked more like a cottage hospital than a state facility. Sam showed his false ID at the front desk, smiling at the receptionist as he read her name tag. "HI Gale, I'm Sam Murphy Dr. Hues intern from Denver Memorial," He smiled thankful he remembered the name of the court appointed psychiatrist on the case. "he asked me to come and do a follow up on Andy Ritters."

Gale smiled and waved for a nurse to come over. "Dr. Murphys here to see Andy, can you show him up."

Sam tried not to show his surprise, it usually took at least a round of 20 questions and a prolonged conversation with one of the residents, before he was allowed anywhere near a patient. He new small towns were meant to be more trusting but this was crazy.

"HI I'm Liz." The blond nurse smiled at him, sticking her hand out at him.

He took it and gave it a firm shake. "Sam."

Her smile broadened slightly as she gestured Sam to follow her. "You picked a good time to come he's usually a little calmer at this time of day, he doesn't like it when it starts to get dark. We think it reminds him of what happened to his brother."

"Are you here to do a review of all the patients with these symptoms or just Andy?"

"There are more?"

Sams eyes widened in shock, Dean had said there was others he just hadn't believed him. Liz gave him a surprised look as if this was something Sam should know.

"Dr. Hue is still writing his paper isn't he?"

Sam nodded at least that explained why it was so easy for him to get in. "I've only just started working for him, I haven't had time to get up to speed on everything yet."

Liz gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Dr. Hue believes that nine of the cases we've had in the last five years Andy's similar clinical pathologies. Not that I fully understand why he thinks that, I mean there are some similarities. They were all found wandering by themselves in the woods and have been near catatonic ever since but it still seems a bit of a reach if you ask me."

"I guess. Is there anything else that might have made him think the cases were linked?

"None of them like being touched but that's not exactly unusual." She gave him a shrug. "Sorry if you want to know anything else you'll just have to talk to Dr. Hue."

"O.K. Do you think it would be a good idea to talk to the other patients?"

"I wouldn't bother, Andys the most active by quite a large margin and that's not saying much."

They stopped outside of one of the rooms and Liz unlocked it, calling out cheerfully. "Andy honey, it's just me. You going to be good."

Sam didn't spot the man at first, but when he did the sight of the trembling form cowering in the corner made him feel instantly sick. The mans protective posture was to close to the one he had first found Dean in after the ghosts attack to be coincidence. Was this what would have happened to his brother if he hadn't got to him in time?

Shaking his head hard to clear those thoughts from his head, he moved to squat in front of the trembling young man. A soft whimper escaped from between the mans' arms, as a pale pinched face peered up at him.

"Liz could you give me a couple of minutes alone with Andy?"

Liz gave him an uncertain look, as if assessing him for potential threat but then seemingly satisfied with what she saw nodded. "A couple of minutes only and if I hear him getting agitated I'm coming in, O.K?" Sam nodded. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

Liz left and Sam squatted down in front of Andy, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. "Andy, can you look at me?"

He got no response. Taking a different tack, he played on the one thing they had in common, they both would do anything for their brothers.

"Andy the thing that attacked your brother, attacked mine. It scared him real bad like it did you, but he's still alive, I just don't know how much longer I can keep him that way if you don't help me."

The man peeked out at him from his arms, actually focusing on him for the first time. Casting a furtive look around him as if worried someone might be listening, he spoke in a horse shaky voice. "M.mm…ma..gic."

Thinking hard, Sam pressed gently. "Andy are you trying to say you saw some kind of ritual?"

Andy shook his head, still scanning the room for any threat. Without saying another word he jammed a thumb into his chest.

"You were part of the ritual."

The man whimpered, drawing himself into a tight ball.

"Andy please answer me, I need to know."

Andy nodded into his arms and began to sob quietly, effectively shutting Sam out.

Sam ran a shaky hand through his hair, trying to think of a way to reach the terrified man. However, any moves he might have made where forestalled when Liz re-entered the room giving him a reproving look for disturbing her patient. "If you'll just wait outside for a minute, while I get Andy settled, I'll show you out."

He stood outside the door his head resting against the wall trying to think, if Eleanor was using real magic that could explain the two m.os' they were seeing. Emilys ghost could easily account for the victims that had just lain down and died, nobody in Andys condition would last long out in the woods by themselves but the supposed animal attacks had been bothering him, the ghost hadn't shown any sign that it was capable of inflicting those types of wounds when attacking Dean, but if Eleanor was using the ghost to help summon something worse, that would explain a lot.

The sound of Liz exiting Andys room broke him out of his reverie, she looked more than a little perplexed. "Here I think he wanted me to give you this." She handed him a crumpled piece of white paper.

Sam caught a glimpse of the symbol drawn on it and quickly shoved it into his pocket, not wanting Liz to start asking questions.

Liz was still giving him a funny look. "I don't know what you said to him but that is the most interactive I seen him be with another human being since he was brought here." She gave him a sad smile. "He used to be such a livewire too."

"You new him, before I mean?"

"Andy and Mark were in the class below me at school." She sighed. "I'm afraid we weren't very nice to them."

It was Sams turn to look surprised. "If you new Andy and Mark, did you know Emily Hillard and her sister."

Liz gave him a suspicious look but then sighed, bring her back to rest against the wall.

"Yes, Emily was in the year above me. Everyone loved her she was beautiful and kind, maybe a little shy but that only made her seem mysterious. Half the boys in my class were in love with her, not that they ever got anywhere, her father was very strict about dating." She turned her head to look at Sam, her eyes pained. "Of course it was an entirely different story with her sister, I still feel guilty about her, we used to call her demon child."

"Why?"

"I honestly don't know it's not as if she ever did anything to deserve the name, she was just a too quite kid whose father made her dress like something out of the last century. I've got to admit I was as surprised when she moved back up to Pattersons' Ridge, after what we put her through I would have never thought she'd come back. After all, she didn't even make it to her sisters funeral."

Sams jaw dropped. "You've seen Eleanor?"

Lizs' face squashed up a bit, as she thought. "I suppose Eleanor was her real name wasn't it. Yes, she came by a couple of months back to see Andy. I didn't recognize her at first and she'd changed her name, but it was her, we even had a bit of a chat."

"Liz, this is very important name is going by now?"

Liz looked more than a little intimidated by the man now towering over her. "Jennifer. Jennifer Warren, she's a doctor up at the clinic." She whispered.

TBC


	12. Exploding Sam

**Chapter 12**

**Disclaimer: They're not mine, I just play with them.**

**O.K it has been brought to my attention a couple of times lately I can't really spell, not really a very surprising revelation to me, I once put a verity of angels in a report instead of a variety of angles without even realizing it, amusing the hell out of my boss. So if anyone wants to help me out on that score it would be great, just please remember I'm British I spell funny to begin with.**

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Sams jaw dropped, he was moving before his brain had a chance to catch up. He could here Liz calling after him but he didn't stop until he got out side, cell phone in hand already ringing.

"Dean, I need a pick up **now**." He snapped when Dean answered.

"Sa.." He hung up before his brother could get a word out, too agitated to argue with Dean right now. So he began to walk.

Reaching the library he slumped down on the front steps. There was no point in going inside, they had all the answers they needed. Sticking his hand in his pocket he pulled out the scarp of paper, Liz had handed him. He didn't recognize the symbol but the very sight of it filled him with dread. He had to put an end to this.

By the time Dean turned up, having done the 20 miles back to Clearwater in record time, Sam had finished on his fingernails and was worrying the now ragged skin down the sides of the nails.

He had the Impalas door open before the car had even come to a stop. "Dam it Sam, are you alright!" Sam nodded looking straight ahead. Dean let out an explosive breath, his body flooding with relief. "Don't do that to me, Man."

"Just drive Dean." It came out harsher than he'd intended and the brother gave him a funny look before complying. Sam didn't miss the hurt in the look, but couldn't bring himself to react to it, his mind was on fire and there was no room for anything else.

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The drive back to Pattersons' Ridge was even worse than the drive to Clearwater, for Dean it was like sitting in the car with a faulty grenade, any sudden movement could set it off. So he gave Sam time, even though it killed him to do it.

It paid off, about half way back to town Sam began to talk, filling him in on what he had learnt and what he believed. The things he said disturbed him no end, more because of the conclusions Sam was jumping to, than anything else. Sam was scaring the hell out of him.

He had no doubt Sam was right about who Jen really was, it fit to well with everything she'd told him, he just didn't agree with his brother on her motives in being here.

"I just don't see it Sam, Jen's just not the type."

"Jen" Sam practically hissed the name.

"Yeah, I hooked up with her last night at the bar." Dean shifted uncomfortable not liking the way Sam was looking at him, but he continued anyway. "She's not out for vengeance, Man. She's just trying to find answers same as us."

"And which brain were you thinking with when you came to that conclusion **Dean**."

Normally a comment like that would have resulted in an all out argument but Dean bit back on his own anger, the last thing they needed right now was both of them losing their heads.

"Sam" he tried to placidate his brother.

"At least tell me you know where she lives." Sam hissed, not willing to be palcidated. _Deans hormones had to be good for something._

"Fine Sam, but we're just talking."

The old hunting cabin Jen was renting was just a few miles outside of town, set back into the woods it could only be reached by a winding dirt track. It was slow going, the Impalas wheels spinning in the mud, which only added to Sams impatience. The moment they reached the house, he leaped from the car heading for the door, Dean in hot pursuit.

Reaching the door Sam lent heavily on the bell, before raising his hand to pound on the door when it wasn't instantly answered.

"Sam, knock it off." Snapped Dean, before reaching for his phone he need to put a stop to this madness before things got any worse and to do that me needed answers.

Relieved that this seemed to be one of the few place in town with reception, he pulled a card out of his pocket and dialed the number. "Colonel Beck, you said Emilys sister was pissed. You think she was angry enough to kill Ray?" He asked without preamble, when the man finally answered. Having to speak up over the sound of his brother pounding on the cabins door.

"What?" The man sounded genuinely shocked. "Jen, no. She was the only one connected with that God forsaken town that never believed Ray was guilty, she's been trying to get the case reopened for years."

Deans head shot up at the sound of the front door rebounding on its hinges accompanied by a soft cry of surprise as Sam barrel through the door pinning Jen to the wall. "Sam" he barked, dropping his phone as he ran towards the door.

Sam had Jen pinned to the halls rough wood wall, the womans eyes were wide with shock and no small amount of fear, casting around for help her frightened gaze came to rest on the elder Winchester as he barreled through the door. The look of utter betrayal she gave him the made Deans heart sink.

Holding his hands up in front of him in what he hoped was a non-threatening gesture, slowly approaching to two figures. "Sam.."

He never got to finish the sentence as Jen took advantage of the momentary distraction he provided to break free of his brothers grip, dropping to the floor she slipped out from underneath Sams arm and scrambled towards the kitchen.

Sam caught her within a couple of steps, delivering a punishing back hand to her face when she continued to struggle. Pinning the stunned woman to his chest with an arm around her throat, effectively putting an end to her struggles, he pulled her towards the living room, intent on getting some answers. "Why? Why did you kill them?" He demanded seemingly beyond reason.

Dean had watched the whole seen play out with a feeling of shocked detachment; Sam never hit anyone without good reason. What the hell was happening? One look into Jens eyes told him that she was as clueless as he was, Sams accusations meant nothing to her and yet..

Dean registered what she was about to do only a fraction of a second before it happened. Jen twisted in Sams grip, swinging her hips to one side she delivered an open handed slap to his groin, bring her head back into his face for good measure when he began to double over, after that it was a simple matter the for her to brake his grip and run for the door. It all happened so fast Dean barely had time to get out of her way.

Sam hit the ground hard groaning and clutching at his groin, as he pulled himself into the fetal position.

Dean spared his brother a brief sympathetic glance and headed out after Jen. Breaking into a run as he spotted her heading towards the tree line, his ankle twisted slightly on the uneven ground sending a spike of pain up his leg, the shear shock of the sudden pain causing him to cry out before he had the chance to stifle the noise.

"Are you all right?" The question was automatic and genuine, Jen had stopped just short of the tree line and was now looking back at him with open concern. _Some killer, Sam._ Dean mentally snorted. He new the moment she reached the wood he would never find her, this was Jens home there was no way he could match her in it but he couldn't bring himself to trick her into staying.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He sighed.

"Sure you are." She snorted, making no move towards the wood but not moving any closer to him either. "What the hells going on Dean?"

"It's a long story." Groaning he lowered himself onto a fallen tree and started to pull off his boot.

"Here, let me help." He looked up in surprise as Jens hands came into view, helping him ease off the boot. She gave him a wry grin. "Just keep that idiot brother of yours away from me, O.K?"

He smiled grateful for the help however grudgingly given. "Thanks"

"So you want to tell me what is going on?"

Dean glanced back at the house there was still no sign of Sam, maybe the kid had gained some sense and decided to keep a low profile for a while. He nodded, Jen deserved to know the truth.

"We think someone's killing people they consider amoral in revenge for your sisters death."

"What?" Jens jaw had dropped, he face draining of blood. She looked physically stunned. "How? Why?"

_All good questions_, thought Dean. Quickly filling her in on what they had found out so far, skirting around the more supernatural element of the case. When he finished, he looked back at the house, to see Sam storming towards them, clearly the kid didn't have any sense after all.

"Jen." He warned, reaching out to grip her shoulder were she crouched in front of him gently examining his ankle, oblivious to what was going on behind her.

Jen caught his drift instantly and moved behind him, but didn't back off any further. Whatever was going on she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"Sam, we're just talking here." His brother seemed calmer, but there was still a worrying intensity to him.

Sam didn't even acknowledge him, his entire focus was on Jen.

"Why did you change your name?" It was the last question either of them had expected him to ask, exchanging looks Dean nodded for her to answer. He didn't know where his brother was going with this but he was still willing to trust Sam, even if he was no longer sure he deserved it, and it seemed that Jen was still willing to trust him.

"Do you really think, I would keep his name after everything he did to me?" She may be willing to play along for the time being but that didn't mean she wasn't still holding a grudge against Sam for earlier. She easily matched Sams anger with her own. "Warren was my mothers name."

"And Eleanor?"

"What? Nobody but my father has ever called me that. I only ended up with the stupid name because my parents felt guilty about missing some Great Aunts funeral. My mother, sister and everyone else who I give a dam about, have always called me Jen or Jennifer." Jen wasn't backing down. "Do you honestly think, the people of this town wouldn't recognize me because I changed my name? It's a small town and I lived her for eighteen years! How stupid are you?"

The shear logic of the statement gave Sam pause but he wasn't ready to back off, not yet.

"Why did you kill Ray Ritter?"

"Whaaaaa." If Jen was pale before, now she was positively ghostly. Dean pulled himself to his feet, shifting so he was between his brother and Jen. It was a gesture of silent support and seemed to calm the woman slightly.

"She didn't kill Ray Sam. I talked to his commanding officer, he said Jen was the only one who never believed that he killed Emily. Sam she had no reason to hurt him."

Then Jen spoke softly as if in shock. "Ray would never have hurt Em, he loved her since high school and she loved him back, it just took her a little longer to realize it."

"But" Sams certainty was beginning to waiver.

Jen shook her head, understanding what he was going to ask. "They didn't tell my father, he wouldn't have approved and Emily never went against him." A faint smile graced her face, but only for a second before sadness overwhelmed it again. "At least not to his face." She sighed.

The foundations of all the convictions Sam had about this woman began to crumble, leaving his mind in disarray.

"But you hated him, your father, all the people who hurt you. You hated them so much, you would have wiped them off the face of the earth if you could have."

Jens eyes flew up to meet his at those words, not understanding how he new so much about her, but then her face crumbled and she slumped down onto the log Dean had been sitting on moments ago. "Yes. Yes, I would have." She whispered, letting out a sigh that sounded suspiciously like a sob. "But I had to let it go."

Both brothers looked at her in stunned silence. Pulling herself together by shear force of will she returned Sams gaze and spoke with utter conviction. "The anger, the hate I had to let it go, if I hadn't it would have killed me or worse I would have killed somebody."

The simple honesty of the statement stunned Sam, causing all the pieces of the puzzle that he had been trying so valiantly to force together to suddenly fly apart, rearranging themselves at last to form a flawless whole, allowing him to finally see what his strange dreams had been trying to show him all along. The dreams were never about hate or revenge, they were about broken promises and lost opportunities. She had promised the boy, Ray, that one day she would rescue him and she had failed. Just as she had lost the opportunity to ever make things up with her sister because of conversations like the one they had had under the door that day. Things had been said that she'd had known in her heart Emily had never really meant but she had still let them drive them apart.

Sure the anger was there but it wasn't born out of an evil spirit, just dire circumstances. Anger and hate had kept her alive and fighting when nothing else could, and had eventually given her the strength to break free and build a better life, but they weren't part of who she was, not anymore.

Sams world winked back into focus and what he saw made him sick. Dean was still standing between him and the battered and trembling woman, ready to protect her if Sam made a move. How the hell had things come to this? When had he turned into the monster of this story?

Unable to fully process what was happening, Sam just began to walk away, needing to get some distance, to think.

Sitting down hard on to the log next to Jen, Dean wrapped on arm around the womans trembling form pulling her towards him. Jen slumped into his shoulder, gratefully excepting what little comfort he had to offer. Dean never took his eyes off his brothers retreating form even as he gently soothed the distraught woman in his arms.

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Twenty minutes later, the two of them where sitting around Jens kitchen table beer in hand, there was still no sign of Sam.

Jen had an ice pack pressed against the rapidly spreading bruise that now darkened her cheek bone. Dean gave her a worried look and she gave him a weak smile in response.

"Don't worry one thing I learnt growing up is how to take a punch." Taking the ice pack away from her face she gently palpated the injury, grimacing slightly before giving him a wicked grin. "Besides your brother hits like a girl."

One thing he was rapidly learning about Jen, was that she new how to roll with the punches in more way than one, she was still shaken but she was dealing.

"I'll tell him you said that." Dean grinned back.

"Do." O.K so she wasn't going to forgive Sam anytime soon.

Sobering up Dean gave her a serious look, willing her to understand. "He's not a bad guy Jen, he's just got a lot on his plate at the moment."

Jen gave him a long searching look, before rubbing a hand over her face, wincing slightly when she touched the bruise on her cheek.

"He really believes I killed those people doesn't he?"

"Yeah. Yeah, he does." He nodded, giving her an odd look. "You don't seem too surprised though."

"No." She sighed, looking slightly pained. "No, I'm not surprised, if I listened to half the stuff this town had to say about me, I'd believe it too."

"How….I mean, why do they hate you so much?"

Sinking back into her seat she answered. "It was the fire, the one that killed my mother. My father believes it was the work of a Demon, says he saw it."

"You don't believe it though do you?" He asked, taking in the incredulous look on her face.

"No." She snorted. "But whatever happened, it drove him nuts and he took the rest of the town right along with him."

Dean gave her a disbelieving look and she sighed. "You've got to understand, things got bad for this town right about the time I was born. The winters started getting real bad and the town was cut off for longer and longer periods, then the logging companies started pulling out. The town was dieing in more ways than one."

"They can't have blamed that on you?"

"No they didn't, at least not at first but when people get scared they turn to the church.."

Dean finished the sentence for her, understanding. "and your father was the preacher."

"Yeah." She agreed.

Dean scratched his head. "I still don't get it though, why did he blame you for what happened to your Mom?"

"Because of were she died." Jen shrugged unable to fully follow the logic herself. "She died in my nursery and he figured, well that." She looked embarrassed. "O.K, this sounds strange but he thought that the Demon never left, that in someway it had possessed me. I guess in a way he thought that he was trying to save me."

Dean snorted, who the hell would equate beating a kid half to death to saving them. Drawing in a deep breath to calm himself he tried to get his thoughts in order, then as something occurred to him, he scribbled the symbol Andy had given Sam on a piece of paper and pushed it across the table at Jen. "Do you recognize this?"

Jen gave the symbol a brief look. "Kind of, it's the sigil of a Shadow Demon. I can't remember which one though."

Dean gave her an incredulous look.

"Hey, he was always thinking I was possessed by some thing. Shadow Demons lasted through most of fifth grade, at least until he worked out that they don't possess people. I got pretty good at recognizing these things." She waved the symbol in front of his face.

"But you don't believe in it do you, the supernatural I mean?" He asked.

Jen let out a harsh laugh. "Load of mumbo jumbo. Sure it may have been enough to scare me as a kid but the guy's nuts pure and simple, there's no such thing as magic and there's sure as hell no such thing as Demons."

Dean sighed, suddenly feeling incredibly sorry for the woman, she really had no idea of what was out there. He just didn't know how much longer she could keep that innocence, not with the Demon still out there. What would it do to her when she found out at least part of what her father believed was true, the Demon was there because of her.

A noise from outside caught both of their attention, snapping Dean out of his reverie. Peering down the hall he caught a glimpse of Sam slumped on the porch. Meeting Jens gaze he smiled when she rolled her eyes and got up to get another beer out of the fridge, opening it she pushed the beer across the table to Dean so it came to rest next to his own barely touched one. "Go talk to your brother."

With that she picked up her beer and headed towards the stairs. "Oh and Dean, tell your brother if he comes after me like that again I'm going to shoot him….somewhere painful." There was no real malice in the statement and Jen had every right to still be pissed at Sam, so Dean just nodded and got up, heading out to the porch.

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Sam sat slumped against one of the porches slim pillars, so wrapped up in his own misery that he nearly jumped out of his skin when a gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Dean." The name almost sounded like a sob.

Taking in his brother red rimmed eyes and distraught features, Dean nodded and sat down at his side, handing him his beer.

"I really screwed up didn't I." Sam wasn't looking at him any more but he didn't need to see his face to know what he was thinking.

"You really did little brother."

Sam smiled weakly at that, Dean always did have a slightly odd way of showing his support, but the fact that he was even trying after everything he had put him through amazed the younger Winchester.

"I'm sorry…." Sam suddenly realized that was the one thing he had never said to his brother, about any of this. "..for every thing. I don't know what…"

"You were scared, Sam. We all act a little crazy when we're scared." It wasn't something he would ever admit but Dean understood scared, not the monster in the closet afraid of the dark kind of scared but the kind of scared that came from always being the one to be left behind, from not knowing if he could protect his family or if they wouldn't really be better off without him, it made him do crazy things and this thing with Sam was no different. This whole thing with his brothers new freaky powers scared him just as much as it did Sam, because he couldn't protect him for it, he didn't know how but he could be there and that's what he intended to do. Moving a hand to grip the back of his brothers neck he gave it a gentle squeeze.

Sam relaxed into the grip, feeling the warmth and forgiveness that radiated from his brother touch; he had missed this all the years he was away. Growing up he had never needed to explain how he felt to Dean, somehow his brother just always new but his time away at Stanford had changed them both, things weren't that easy anymore and his brother deserved an explanation.

"I just…" he paused and wiped tentatively at his nose, it was still bleeding slightly from where Jen had head butted him earlier, he didn't know how to do this, how to explain himself.

"I would never forgive myself if something happened to you, because of what I am, because of what I'm becoming." He turned his head to the side so he could meet Dean somber gaze, causing his brothers hand to drop to his shoulder. He was intensely grateful when Dean didn't remove it, he needed a connection however small to his brother right now. "Sometimes I think it would be better for you if I just left" Dean stiffened at the idea but wisely didn't interrupt. "but I'm afraid of what would happen to me it you go. I can't face this alone Dean."

Dean looked at his brother with open surprise, it had never occurred to him that Sam might need him as much as he needed him. Sam was the one who had left, the one who had proven that he could have a life, prospects outside of hunting and that he didn't need his family to do it. He took in a deep breath, just letting his brothers words soak in for a moment, then smiled feeling the lump of ice that had been sitting at the center of his chest since this whole mess had started finally begin to thaw. His brother needed him. "You're never going to have to do this alone Sam, I told you I'd never let anything bad happen to you and I meant it." He assured his brother, meaning every word.

Sam visibly relaxed, managing a faint smile before something else occurred to him.

"She's never going to forgive me, is she?" He shook his head sadly, his voice full of self recrimination. "and she shouldn't not after what I did. I thought she was like Max but I was the only one acting like him."

Dean gripped his brothers shoulder. "I wouldn't worry too much about Jen," He grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "for one thing she said you hit like a girl. Besides which I think she came out on top in your little squabble."

"No kidding." Snorted Sam, his groin still felt like it was on fire.

"She going to be O.K?

"Yeah she'll be fine." Dean gave his brother a sideways glance. "Actually I think she's a lot like you."

"What do you mean?" Sam sounded confused.

"No matter how bad things get in your lives, you both still see good in the world."

Sam snorted derisively.

"O.K so maybe, you take a while to bounce back sometimes, but you do it." Dean gave his brother a hard look, until Sam finally nodded. "Come on lets get out of here before it gets to dark."

Getting up he reached down to pull his brother to his feet and together they headed towards the car.

Half way there Sam gave his brother a funny look. "Dean, are you walking funny?

The elder Winchester gave him a slightly embarrassed grin. "Jen" He offered by way of explanation. "She figured that since she couldn't trust me to stay off it, she better come up with something better than a support sock to keep my ankle stable." Bending over he pulled up his trouser leg, to reveal the top of what looked like a molded plastic splint sticking out of the back of his sock. "It feels a bit funny, but I don't think I'm going over on it anytime soon."

"She's really got you pegged hasn't she?" Sams mouth quirked slightly at the corners.

"Yeah, she has that." Grinned Dean, climbing into the car.

"Then I guess there are worse people to be associated with." Sam gave his brother a wry smile, actually feeling hopeful about his future for the first time in weeks.

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The short trip back to town was nothing like the trip to the cabin, even if it was as silent, each of them taking the time to put their thoughts in order, content just to be in each others company.

It was barely dark by the time they made it back to the hotel, but it had been a hard few days for both of them and Sam could think of nothing better than a long hot shower. Maybe he'd talk Dean into going back to the bar he'd met up with Jen in later and see if they could do some work on reinforcing some of the bridges he and Dean had tentatively started to rebuild over the last couple of hours.

Opening their room door, he half turned to ask his brother if he wanted to go, when the world went black.

Dean barely registered the rifle butt swing out of the shadows of their darkened room to connect with his brothers' face, before his own world exploded into a sea of stars, sending him crashing to the floor, unconscious.

tbc

**Review please**


	13. Sacrifices

**Chapter 13**

**Disclaimer: They're not mine, I just play with them.**

**Apologies for how long this has taken to post but the real world strikes again. Hopefully some people are still out there and you don't all think I've completely lost the plot, either way please let me know. Thanks to Poppyflake, rozzy07 and Intex for reviewing. Anyway here it goes.**

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Sam woke to a world of pain, his shoulders were on fire and it was hard to breath. As his mind became more aware he realized that he was hanging by his wrists inside some kind of moving vehicle. That much he was certain of as each movement the vehicle made was sending jolts of pain up his arms and into his wrists. Pushing himself to his feet he was able brace himself and relieve some of the pressure on his abused wrists. Only then did he manage to force his eyes open so he could take in his surroundings. The vehicle looked like some kind of truck probably one of the old style cattle trucks with wooded slats over metal bars. His hands were stuck through the gaps either side of one of the wooden planks and he could feel the handcuffs he was wearing grate over the top of a metal bar which must be on the other side of the wood. Looking around he spotted Dean also hanging by his wrists a couple of feet away still unconscious, as he gave his brother a proper look any relief he might feel about the fact that they were still together was quickly replaced by worry as he spotted the dried blood coating his brothers face and hair.

"Dean. Dean." He called, kicking out at his brothers leg when he didn't immediately respond to his calls.

"Whaaaaa?" Groaned Dean not quite ready to come back to conciseness yet.

"Dean, you need to wake up we're in deep shit man." That got Deans attention enough to make him force open one of his eyes in an attempt to asses the situation.

"Oh man." He moaned as he tried to get his feet under him. It didn't work though, apparently a few inches in height made all the difference in situations like this.

"Don't say a word." Growled Dean at his brother as he once more failed to keep his footing as the truck turned another corner.

Sams smirked at his brother despite the dire circumstances, his height had been a bone of contention with his brother ever since at age sixteen Sam had introduced Dean as his little brother at a party they had both been attending and been believed. It wasn't that Dean was short by any stretch of the imagination it was just that standing next to Sam he looked it and Sam new that really got to his elder brother who strongly believed that the big brother should, well be bigger.

Getting back to the task at hand Sam asked. "Dean can you feel metal above you or just wood?"

Dean grunted as he twisted his abused wrists so he could feel above him. "Just wood." He announced through clenched teeth and glowering at Sam.

People often assumed because he was the larger of the two he was the more dangerous, they didn't make the same mistake twice.

Dean gritted his teeth and began to pull at the board, making the cuff bite deeper into his already bloody wrists but he just couldn't keep his precarious perches on the shifting floor long enough to bring his full strength to bare and just ended up hanging by his wrists again. Giving up on that idea he swung his feet up to kick at the wood above his head and this time ended up swinging. Swearing furiously he hung there for a moment trying to block out the pain in his wrists and shoulders as he waited to stop swinging enough to try and get his balance again.

"Hold still." Sam ordered, then gritting his teeth Sam smashed his feet into the wood inches away from his brothers' trapped hands.

Dean yelped in surprise, as the wood splintered on Sams second swing sending him crashing to the floor. Heaving himself to his feet, he had to use Sams lanky frame to stabile himself as he checked out his brothers bonds.

Sam sighed wishing he was going to be as easy to get free as Dean. "It's no good Dean I can feel some kind of metal bar, there's no way we're kicking through that."

Dean nodded and gave the trucks roof another inspection. "Your hands must sticking out the top of the truck, I'll have to get onto the roof to get them undone." Sam nodded the lack of blood flow going to his hands was making them numb but he could still feel the cold breeze caused by the moving truck.

"Just give me a minute." Commented Dean as he scanned the trucks interior for something to use as a lock pick, he already new his pockets had been turned inside out. Not spotting anything obvious he began to check the wood for loose nails, climbing onto the roof of a moving vehicle was going to be hairy enough without having to do it in handcuffs, besides he would need a pick when he got up there.

Sam looked down to meet his brother eyes as the truck screeched to a halt, both of them flinching as they heard the cabs doors swing open. They only had seconds to come up with a plan. "Go." Ordered Sam taking the decision he new his brother was unable to make. Dean was currently in no fit state to take on an unknown number of possibly armed assailants and even if he could win out there was no way he could keep the advantage long enough to get Sam free, this was their only choice.

The brothers eyes met a silent promise passing between them. Sam nodded once in acknowledgment, he had no doubts that Dean would return and with that the elder Winchester throw himself from the truck, hurtling towards the woods.

Sam winced at the sound of gunshots, as at least some of the men from the cab took off in pursuit of his brother. Shifting nervously, he all but held his breath as he waited for some kind of sign that his brother made it. Finally a man he didn't recognize climbed into the back of the truck to make sure he was still secure, he could feel another pulling at his hands on the roof. Walking up to him, the man lent in close his voice hissing with venom as he whispered into his ear. "Your partner's dead you little shit and soon you will be too." The man brought his knee up hard into Sams groin making his world exploded and his head flew back in pain, which only added to the force with which the rifle butt made contact with his head. His last thought was a silent pray for his brothers safety.

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Falling again, he rolled down a short muddy incline coming to a painful stop against a tree, the wind temporally knocked out of him but a bullet ripping out a large chunk of the tree just inches from his head drove him back to his feet anyway. Running along the gully bottom he started to make his way back up to the ridge line using a rocky outcrop for cover, he needed to get some distance between himself and his pursuers, it was still barely dark and he new once night descended he would have no problem loosing these hicks. John Winchester had taught his sons well, all he needed to do was buy himself some time.

Hitting the ridge line, he throw himself down at the edge of a small cliff peering over the edge at the 30 meter drop, swallowing hard he forced himself to scan the cliff until he found what he needed. Shifting a couple of meters to his left he grasped hold of a small outcrop and lowered himself over the edge, silently thanking the good Doctor for her forethought in splinting his ankle as he did so, this would be a bad time for it to give out. Feeling around with his feet for the ledge he had spotted moments ago, he contemplated the pure insanity of his plan, no one in their right minds would try this, never mind a guy in handcuffs but then that was why it was going to work. Finding the ledge, he let go with his hands, biting his lip in anticipation of the fall that would come if his balance didn't hold, but his luck held and he was able to lower himself onto the thin outcrop of rock, pressing himself close to the cliff.

Once in position he barely had time to get his breathing back under control before he heard footsteps and yelling, these guys weren't exactly subtle. Holding his breath until they had passed he waited half an hour as he listened to their voices recede into the distance, he didn't dare wait any longer than that, not with Sams life at stake. Pulling himself back onto the ridge he headed back towards the road.

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He was shaking with exhaustion by the time he reached his goal, stumbling onto the porch he started banging his fists on the cabins door hard enough to rattle it in it's frame.

"Who is it? I've got a gun." Came a voice from the other side of the door.

Dean almost smiled at the memory of Jen threatening to shoot Sam just hours ago. "Jen it's me. Open up _please_." He was surprised at how weak and desperate his voice sounded.

He fell through the door it opened to fast, all but collapsing into the arms of the surprised and rifle wielding woman.

"Dean what the hell is going on? Where's Sam?" Jen demanded as she helped him take a seat by the kitchen fire, she sounded shocked and more than a little frightened.

Taking in his battered and disheveled appearance, Jen brief disappeared only to return moments latter carrying a thick blanket and her medical bag. "Here you're dripping on my floor." Dean reached out to take the blanket

Jen backed up a step, seemingly transfixed by the silver handcuffs which still encircled Deans bloody wrists. "It's not what you think Jen."

"You don't know what I'm thinking." Her face had drained of blood, making the purple bruise on her cheek stand out even more markedly.

Dean sighed and auquidly pulled the blanket around his shoulders, Jen had every reason to be wary, after the trouble they had caused the earlier but right now he needed all the help he could get. "I'll tell you everything." He said, and he did.

Half way through the explanation Jen came back to the table and started checking him out. Reaching across the table Dean pulled a thin probe out of Jens medical bag and began to pick the locks on his cuffs, causing Jens eyes to widen further. Slipping the cuffs off he rubbed his wrists for a moment trying to get the feeling back in his hands, till Jen stopped him and began patching them up.

"Shouldn't we be calling the police or something?" Asked Jen when he was finished, looking more than a little worried.

"Jen we don't know who's involved and I can't leave Sam alone with those guys long enough to get the State police up."

Jen sighed heavily and nodded, before walking over to one of the cupboards and opening it.

"I thought they didn't recommend Whiskey for shock anymore?" He smiled seeing what she had just pulled out of the cupboard.

"It's not for you it's for me." She replied, taking a shaky swallow.

"Look Jen, just lend me your car and that rifle and I'll be out of here. This is too dangerous for you to get involved in."

"What? No!"

Deans heart plummeted at the refusal but he just nodded and got up to leave.

"Dean sit down." Jen took a step forward and pushed him back into the seat. "Do you even know where to start looking for Sam, and what are you going to do when you get there? Faint on them and hope they give up?"

Dean had to admit that his current plan of 'Find Sam' still needed some work but he wasn't going to be put off.

"I'll find him."

"I'm sure you will." She told him sympathetically her eyes showing her faith that he would do just that. "But by the sounds of it you're going to need to find him fast and to do that you're going to need help."

"Wha?" Dean gapped, he hadn't expected this, Jen and Sam weren't exactly on the best of terms and he had just told her there was a bunch of men out there looking to use his brother as part of a human sacrifice. Yet Jen was standing there offering to help, despite the fact that she looked about ready to jump out of her skin.

Looking pale but determined she sat down opposite him and got down to business. "Tell me what you remember about where you left the truck."

To agitated too sit still for long Dean slipped out of his seat and began checking the kitchen of useful supplies as tried to remember any prominent feature he had run past. He could hear Jen tapped her fingers thoughtfully on the table behind him as he spoke but didn't bother turning around when she got up and left the room, as he was considering the defensive possibilities of two wicked looking kitchen knives.

"You said thought they were a cult right?" She yelled from the other room.

"That would be my guess. If they had been anything else it would have been easier to just get the sheriff to run us out of town, these guys definitely wanted to stop us looking into these deaths."

"I was just thinking." Commented Jen re-entering the room holding a map and a pile of dry clothes, which she handed to Dean. "Cults usually like set places to carry out their rituals don't they? Sacred places, that sort of thing?"

Dean nodded, sorting through the clothes. There was no point in even trying the trousers, they were just to different in height for there to be any hope that they would fit but the shirt and T-shirt looked like they ought to fit though, at least they were dry and weren't to girly. Jen raised an eyebrow at the sight of the bruises littering his chest and abdomen but wisely kept on topic.

"There's a clearing about a mile from the place you described, with an oak tree in it that the original settlers brought from Scotland. They say that they used to worship the Celtic horned God Cernunnos under it." She said indicating the location on the map for Dean to see, it looked to be in the right area as far as he could tell.

"Horned God do you mean like the Devil? Why couldn't we find any information on this before? This is just the kind of thing Sam usually looks for."

"It's not the kind to thing the town really likes to advertise, it doesn't really fit with it's whiter than white image, there's probably only a handful of people who even know the place exists. As for Cernunnos he's a Forrest God not the Devil, he's not even evil."

"But?" Prompted Dean when she stopped.

"But" She agreed "he is the leader of the wild hunt who chases down the souls of evil doers."

"Sinners." Whispered Dean, paling as he remembered the note and the subsequent attack.

"There's more." Jen was looking pale as well and was unable to meet Deans eyes. "It's also where they found Emily."

"Shit."

"Yeah." Agreed Jen, they both new they had the right place.

"Let's get a move on then. What have you got in the way of weapons?"

Jen nodded and led the way into a small anti-room that obviously served as a gun room. "Mac, the guy I rented this place from left some of his hunting gear here." She said indicating the neatly arranged hunting supplies which included to Deans relief a shotgun.

"Can you use any of this?" He asked picking up the shotgun and a box of shells.

Jen gave him a withering look. "I've been hunting since I was seven." She told him, reaching for the rifle, she started examining it with professional ease.

Dean raised an eyebrow impressed. "I didn't think your Dad would approve of hunting."

"He didn't but most of the time he didn't care what I did as long as I was quite and didn't make him look bad, so it was easy enough to sneak out." She shrugged "The Ritters taught me."

Dean didn't know what to say to that, it seemed a very cold way to raise a child, so the two of them worked in silence for a couple of minutes checking out the equipment, before Dean spoke again trying to relieve some of the tension in the room, he was fully aware of how scared Jen really was even though she was holding it together better than anyone had a right to expect. "Did you learn about Cellophane and the grove from your father?"

"It's Cernunnos" She smiled continuing to check the rifles scope. "and no it was Old Pa Ritters thing not my fathers, the guy may have been a drunk but he could tell a hell of a tale if he had a mind too, he used to tell us stories on hunts when I was little. He always liked the idea of a God protecting the Forest and all those he lived in harmony with it."

"Is he supposed to have any special abilities?" queried Dean, hoping to get an idea what they were up against.

"Lots." Shrugged Jen. "The guy had a lot of jobs. He could make people see things and induce panic so he could protect the forest animals, he'd sing to the souls of the dead to ease their passage to the underworld, all sorts."

It was all beginning to fit together in a twisted sort of way, if someone had found a way to control Cernunnos and direct him after who they considered sinners. He didn't remember all that much about the wild hunt but he was pretty sure the hounds that ran with the hunt would account for the so called animal attacks and Emilys ability make her victims see things could certainly be tied in as well. He still wasn't sure where the sigil for the Shadow demon fit in but some of the rituals for controlling one may be close enough that some one could be trying to use them on the hounds. Whatever the case the one thing he was sure of was that this was not good, if these people had enough power to compel a God to do their bidding they were in real trouble.

"We better get moving." He told Jen, sticking a sheathed hunting knife into the back of his jeans, pulled a small backpack containing over the coat Jen had given him and picked up the shotgun.

Jen just nodded a picked up an odd looking green backpack from near the door. "Field medics kit." She supplied when Dean gave her a querying look, before picking up the rifle. "We'll be quicker going cross country from here it should only take us half an hour."

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The two of the moved in silence through the darkened wood, Dean had to admit he was impressed Jen maybe a little rusty but she was clearly skilled. The easy competence with which she moved through the woods made him smile knowingly, the Ritters hadn't taught her to hunt they had to taught her to poach.

About twenty five minutes after they had set out Jen signal a halt, waiting until Dean had come in close she whispered. "We're almost there, if we circle around to the uphill side we should be able to get a good view of the entire grove with out being seen ourselves."

Dean nodded heading off to the left, he could already make out the faint sounds of chanting he just prayed that they weren't too late.

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Dean bit back on his impatience as he slid into position next to Jen, the need for silence had made short journey up the slope seem interminably long but Jen was right they really could see the entire grove from this vantage point.

Strange figures in hooded black robed stood in a loose circle facing inwards towards a fire, chanting and swaying in unison.

"You've got to be kidding." Whispered Jen into his ear. "They look like the cast from a bad horror movie, it's so clichéd."

He had to agreed but ridicules or not there were still about a dozen people down there all of who would have to be dealt with before they could get to Sam. This was not going to be easy.

Dean growled in anger as a sudden gap in the swaying circles allowed him to see Sam, he was laying on some kind of alter seemingly unconscious. He was naked from the waist up and Dean could see that his chest had been painted with strange whirling symbols which he guessed must be Celtic in origin.

His attention was dragged back to the black robed figures as one of them, probably the leader from the way he had been leading the chanting stepped up to the alter, lowering his hood as he did so.

Reacting instinctively despite his own shock he clamped a hand over Jens mouth, muffling her gasp of surprise. Standing there in the moonlight was Reverend Hillard.

**tbc**

**Let me know what you think and any suggestions.**


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